What McDavid said ahead of legacy-defining Edmonton Oilers game
Connor McDavid is about to embark on a legacy-defining stretch this week as the Edmonton Oilers try to stay alive in the Stanley Cup Final.
Edmonton is now on the verge of elimination after going down 3-2 in their series against the Florida Panthers. A loss on Tuesday night will end McDavid’s season and would mark a second-straight loss to the Panthers in the final.
A win, on the other hand, will shift the series back to the Alberta capital, where the Oilers captain could secure Canada’s first Stanley Cup since 1993. The stakes have never been higher for both McDavid and the Oilers, but they need to find a way to steal a victory in the Sunshine State.
McDavid met with the media on the eve of Game 6, where he talked about the team having its back against the wall for the first time all playoffs.
“We bounce back, lots have been made about that,” McDavid said. “Our group doesn’t like to make it easy on ourselves, and we’ve put ourselves in another difficult spot, and it’s our job to work our way out of it.
“I would expect that tomorrow.”
#Oilers forward Connor McDavid & defenceman Darnell Nurse spoke with the media following today's practice in Florida ahead of Game 6 tomorrow. @Enterprise | #LetsGoOilers pic.twitter.com/67V90BRiaN
— Edmonton Oilers (@EdmontonOilers) June 16, 2025
Game 5 may have been the most disappointing loss of the season for the Oilers. They had all the momentum on their side, as well as a raucous hometown crowd backing them, but came out flat to a tune of a 5-2 Florida victory.
A bright spot was that McDavid got his first goal of the series. When asked about what he wanted to see more out of himself, the Oilers captain deflected.
“It’s not really about me,” McDavid said. “It’s about us trying to get a win here tomorrow night, that’s what we’re looking forward to.
“I think everybody has another level, myself included.”
Not only is this a massive game for McDavid and the Oilers, but also the sport of hockey as a whole. He is the face of the sport and arguably one of the best NHL players of all time. It almost feels like fate that he would eventually win at least one Stanley Cup.
It’s a lot of pressure to put on one player.
“If you think about it that way you’d be probably pretty crippled in terms of how you prepare and play,” McDavid said. “It’s a big game, everybody knows that, I know that, and I’m looking forward to it.
“The Cup will be in the building, those games are what you dream of. It’s not for us, but any time the cup is in the building and you’re playing, it’s a good sign.”
Despite having seven points in five games, McDavid has been uncharacteristically quiet in the Stanley Cup Final. There would be no better time for him to assert himself than in Game 6.