60 Goal Club Gets New Member: Connor McDavid

Coming into the Arizona vs Edmonton matchup on March 22nd, 2023, Connor McDavid had 58 goals and 78 assists. With him only two goals away from the big 60-goal plateau, fans everywhere tuned in, hoping they would see McDavid hit 60. 

At the end of the 3rd period, the game was tied 3-3 heading to overtime, and McDavid was already on the scoresheet with one goal. With 3:34 left in OT, Draisital sent a pass to McDavid, giving him a golden opportunity for this milestone goal. McDavid beat Connor Ingram, getting his 60th goal and ultimately winning the game for the Oilers.

“This summer, I said to him that he needs to score 60 goals,” Leon Draisaitl said when talking about McDavid. McDavid took this as a challenge and became the first Oiler since Wayne Gretzky in 1986-87 to score this many goals. Since the salary cap era began (2005-06), there have only been four 60-goal scorers, including Alex Ovechkin, Steven Stamkos, Auston Matthews, and now Connor McDavid. With that being said, McDavid has become the fastest NHL player to reach 60 goals since Mario Lemiux in 1995-96. In a sense, McDavid is bringing the exciting entertainment of old hockey games into the modern era. 

With 139 points on the season so far, “McJesus,” as the fans call him, is almost guaranteed to win the Art Ross Trophy, which is awarded to the NHL player with the most points at the end of the regular season. He is currently leading his teammate Leon Draisaitl by 28 points while they occupy the top two spots of the points leaderboard. Not only is McDavid leading in points, but he is also the top goal scorer by 28 goals, setting him up to win the Rocket Richard. With this type of skill in the lineup, Edmonton has great tools for a deep playoff run.

There are still ten games left in the regular season for the Oilers, which essentially means McDavid could get ten more goals. Are 70 goals realistic for this superstar, or is that milestone staying back in 1992?