Connor McDavid’s extraordinary first-period assist has garnered attention, but the focus shifted when the Oilers lost to the Panthers in double overtime. During a practice session, media hoped to probe McDavid for insights, but he downplayed his own thought process, stating, "I don't know," emphasizing the instinctual nature of his play. The article reflects on the challenges of articulating the reflexive decisions elite athletes make, particularly noting the high-level defenders he navigated around, like Aleksander Barkov. Ultimately, McDavid's rare skill showcases a level of execution that often escapes explanation through simple language.
McDavid doesn't like talking about himself, but I believe him here. I think he genuinely doesn't know how to answer this.
On some level, talking (and writing!) about hockey is always going to be like, to commandeer an old saying, dancing about architecture.
What writing is good for is the context. Good for setting up the degree of difficulty on that play, by noting that Aleksander Barkov just won the damn Selke Trophy for best defensive forward.
The thing about McDavid is that he's the 99th percentile of the game, able to execute at a level that seems almost beyond conscious thought.
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