By now we know that Connor McDavid hasn’t beaten a goalie yet.

He’s got 19 shots, the most of any Edmonton Oiler forward — five more than Leon Draisaitl, if we’re keeping count. But Draisaitl has four goals, with the Oilers getting ready for the Ottawa Senators Tuesday to end a very frustrating five-game trip.

As Draisaitl says the team looks ‘disconnected’ right now. But, while nobody cares that Ottawa’s Mike Amadio is also scoreless six games in, outside of his house, McDavid is the best player in the world. And he’s got a bagel.

So what gives?

Nineteen shots seems plenty for the best player in the world, but…

“He should have more shots than he does because he creates more shooting opportunities,” said 880 CHED game analyst and former NHLer Rob Brown.

“(Alexander) Ovechkin is always near the top in shots but people create opportunities for him. He gets into his spot, someone has to get him the puck and he shoots all the time. Connor creates his own (shooting chances).

As an observer, Brown thinks McDavid is foresaking better opportunities to shoot.

“He’s turned down two (shots), where other guys on the Oilers won’t get that good an opportunity in the next 10 games. Like, he passed one to (Andrew) Mangiapane, and another a couple of games ago, where he tried passing to (Troy) Stecher. That was when he had the goalie falling down,” said Brown.

“That’s a player being incredibly unselfish which McDavid is. I don’t know if he completely realizes how good a shot he has. He’s got a Joe Sakic wrist-shot, where it’s on and off his stick with accuracy and it’s heavy. Connor can beat a goalie from distance with a wrist shot. He could have eight to 10 shots every game. If he took those he’d score more, but he’s incredibly unselfish.”

It’s also how McDavid processes things compared to mere mortals.

“Superstar players see things different than we do. So Connor will see a scoring opportunity but he also sees three other options at the same time. He can quickly do the calculations in his head and decide option 3 is the best option,” said Brown.

“Whereas we normal people would be thinking option 1, option 1, option 1. The problem is the other options aren’t always the best. If he decides Stecher is the best option, then Stecher isn’t always reading the play the same as Connor is. Or Mangiapane. That’s because Connor is much more evolved as is Leon. That’s why they are so good together. They’re thinking ‘yeah, option 3 is the best’, and they both see that.”

McDavid is used to being the difference maker — every shift. But a game in October in Detroit or Long Island might not have the same fire as a game in May in Dallas. The season seems so long for guys who’ve made it to two-straight Stanley Cup Final appearances.

Still, no goals for McDavid is a big deal.

“If you are feeling it, you’re shooting from everywhere. Like he shoots because he knows ‘I’m beating this goaltender. And give it (puck) to me again, because I know I’ll do it again,’’’ said Brown.

Just as we talk about McDavid’s 0-fer, he may score four against the Senators. That’s who he is. But, shockingly nothing’s going in for him through the first six games.

Ten games is the longest McDavid has gone without scoring.

REACH FOR THE TOP

Adam Henrique is playing his 1000th game in Ottawa. A major accomplishment for a third-round draft pick by the New Jersey Devils in 2008. Outside of the first round that year, the Oilers centre has played the most NHL games.

The Oilers players wore Rico (his nickname) Racing T-shirts to morning practice in Ottawa to salute the 35-year-old. Henrique’s teammate Ryan Nugent-Hopkins has played 966 games and could reach 1,000 by the end of the calendar year.

Other NHLers who entered the season within 20 games of 1,000 — Tyler Seguin (11), Nazem Kadri (15), Marcus Johansson (17) and Jeff Petry (19).

WELCOME BACK

Edmonton Oilers’ defenceman Jake Walman, who only played one pre-season game because he suffered a suspected upper-body injury, will likely be back alongside Darnell Nurse for Tuesday’s game in Ottawa.

That day-to-day injury prognosis after Walman was hurt in the first exhibition Sept. 21 against Calgary, instead turned into a month as a spectator. But, when the Oilers put fellow defenceman Alec Regula on injured reserve Sunday with possible concussion issues after Evander Kane rocked him Oct. 11, it was a tip-off that Walman was ready to play after he sat out the first six games.

Troy Stecher, who has been playing with Nurse, will now go back to being No. 7.

HE SHOOTS, HE SCORES

Ottawa centre Shane Pinto, the Senators best defensive pivot leads the league with seven goals, going into Tuesday’s game against the Oilers. Who saw that coming? Not a single soul.

Pinto, just starting negotiations on what might be an eight-year extension. Normally, he’s their most trusted penalty-killer (five short-handed tallies last season) but Pinto is scorching hot 5-on-5. Every goal this season is at even-strength. He’s the first player in Senators history to score seven in the first six games of a season.

This ‘n that

Oilers winger Kasperi Kapanen was seen after Sunday’s loss in Detroit with a brace on his left knee. No word on how long he’ll be out, but his injury, now coincides with Mattias Janmark close to coming off IR and being ready to play his first game.

Evan Bouchard, who turned 26 Monday, has 21 shots and no goals, no points either, hard to stomach as one of the best offensive D-men in the league when on top of his game. But Bouchard had only one point after the first six games last season, too.

After Detroit Red Wings captain Dylan Larkin’s four-point game against the Oilers in Detroit, he handily won NHL Player of the Week. He’s factored in the last six Wings’ goals. Longest Wings’ streak in the last 10 years is Pavel Datsyuk (seven goals).

Sens’ goalie Linus Ullmark, who got Vezina votes last season, has come back to earth with a thud. Ullmark, who’s getting the start against the popgun Oiler attack, has an .848 save percentage in his five games. He’s given up 20 goals on 112 shots.

Interesting that Sens’ best player Brady Tkachuk and brother Matthew, two of the first six players named to the U.S. Olympic 2026 squad, are both out long-term. Brady won’t be back until U.S. Thanksgiving after his recent surgery on his thumb. Matthew is rehabbing from core muscle surgery in Florida.

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