I saw Connor McDavid play live

There's a lot of cool places in this world I haven't been to yet. There's a lot of athletes I'll never see play. But I will live and die knowing I saw Connor McDavid play and score his 13th goal of his career live. Here it was:

Some other notes from the game:

• The head linesman Darren Gibbs got hit with a puck off the stick of Mark Fayne and had to leave the game.
• I caught a Blue Jackets t-shirt. 
• Taylor Hall scored on a powerplay, his 22nd of the season. Connor McDavid on the assist.

• Leon Draisatl had his 17th goal of the season.
• The Oilers gifted three goals back to Columbus within :45 of scoring each of their own. Totally pathetic. 

Connor McDavid: 1, Jack Eichel: 0

[Event Summary]

[Cult of Hockey] [Die by the Blade]

I'm sad I wasn't watching this one on NHL Gamecentre. I missed one of Connor McDavid's first true great moments. 

He opened up scoring with his quickest goal to open a game in his career. Just :22 into the ballgame, McDavid got his 11th goal of the season on a little backhander. It looked easy. 

Then in overtime with about 80 seconds left before a shootout, Jack Eichel missed the Oilers goal. McDavid gets the puck at the bottom of the screen and decided to use his speed; his finest tool, to take the game and deliver it to the Oilers.



It was McDavid's second goal of the night, the game-winner in OT; and his 12th of the season. Clearly, the guy has the edge over a fine young player in Jack Eichel.

In what is shaping up to be another miserable season for the 24-34-7 Oilers, McDavid did all the work and delivered the Oilers a win in Buffalo.

Connor McDavid's first Five-Point Game

[Event Summary]

[Cult of Hockey]

Connor McDavid notched his first five-point game of his young career, and his eighth and ninth goals of his rookie season in a 5-2 Oilers win against the team that felt it was their given right to have him. 

The night was special because he set up Jordan Eberle three times for Eberle's first hat-trick of his career. 

Goal #1


Goal #2 (One of the first real shots I've seen him score on)


The Oilers lost a few tough games since this one. But this will no doubt go down of the first HUGE game of McDavid's career and it came against the Toronto Maple Leafs.

Connor McDavid returns in Edmonton with a Goal

[Event Summary]

[Cult of Hockey] [CBC] [NHL.com]

You just knew it was coming last night. When it was announced that Connor McDavid would make his return against the Columbus Blue Jackets, you knew he was going to do something dramatic. That's the way he is. 

He scored his sixth goal of the season, possibly his most jaw-dropping one yet in his career; and it ripped the roof off Rexall place as the Oilers won the game 5-1 and took a 2-1 lead on the McDavid score tally.

He also added two other assists, which is a pretty common occurrence/just another night at the office for McJesus. The Oilers sit at 20-26-5 and have to keep it going to get back in things. It's great to see McDavid back on the ice at full speed and continuing his magical rookie year just as he was before he got hurt.

Connor McDavid is progressing from injury more quickly than expected

Man, it's great to hear this. I will soon have a reason to follow hockey again closely.

Though no one would offer a firm date for McDavid’s return, at this rate the betting is that he could be back in the Edmonton Oilers lineup in mid-to-late January, rather than the early March return originally forecasted by the team.

“He’s ahead of schedule,” Oilers GM Peter Chiarelli confirmed from Detroit on Thursday. “He’s been in the pool, been lifting weights… There are no soft tissue injuries, which is important. When you get a break like that, oftentimes there is accompanying soft tissue injuries. That slows down the recovery.”

The Oilers are playing right now against the Pittsburgh Penguins and holding a surprising lead. I am in New Jeresy and ready to head back to Ohio and get back into the groove of following the Oilers each night.

I want this card

Connor McDavid Upper Deck Young Guns. It's the sports card of the year. Now, does anyone have $300 I can borrow?

Magical Hockey Night

[Blue Jackets 5, Phoenix Coyotes 2]

[NHL.com] [Puck Rakers]

I finally saw the Columbus Blue Jackets get their first home win of the season, in mid November. Last night I went to R-Bar before the game, looks like an awesome hockey bar. Way too packed to look around, I am hoping to return when no one is in there. 

Loved the urinals at R-Bar, with the rivals of the Blue Jackets posted on them. 

I truly enjoyed the seats last night more than I have really at any of the games I've been at. I could really see the play develop up high. It was just a perfect view and a nice chilly night at the arena. I love that feeling when there's a nip in the air at the arena. You know you're at a hockey game. 

The awful tragedy in Paris the night before prompted for a moment of silence. I have to say, it was weird being at a major pro sporting event the day after. I am thankful to God that no incidents happened. 

The finest of DFS NHL lineups I'll ever post, a 72.7 on Fanduel. It wasn't in a tourney. Nathan Mackinnon went top shelf in Montreal twice in the same 18 seconds. 

I can always say I say Ryan Johansen score a goal. He played a good ballgame last night.



Also tallying goals were Anthony Duclair and Oliver Ekman-Larrson.

And of course, they blared this awesome somng on the loudspeakers.

Nooooooo! God No

As far as I'm concerned, hockey season may have ended tonight. This is absolutely fucking horrible. The Oilers are completely cursed.

Halloween Night Heartbreak in the Battle of Alberta (Flames win 5-4)

[Event Summary]

[Cult of Hockey]

It was a weird night, featuring many weird goals. The Oilers once again got behind early because of the poor play of Goalie Cam Talbot; and overcame a 4-2 deficit behind the phenomenal play of Taylor Hall and Leon Draisatl to tie the game 4-4.

The game ended in complete heartbreak when Michael Frolik scored this strange goal from basically behind the net to complete his hat-trick. That happened with nine seconds remaining in the game.

It's a shame, because it wasted an effort from Taylor Hall who scored a goal and had two assists. Connor McDavid's point streak ends at seven games after a goal that he had an assist on was waived off.

It could have been a memorable, special hockey night in Edmonton. Instead, just a frustrating heartbreak that had me turning off the game.

Leon Draisatl had two assists and a goal. He's done some serious damage in two games.

Puck Daddy Talks about NHL Figures from Imports Dragon

I already have my Connor McDavid on preorder.

Puck Daddy has a good feature on these NHL figurines.

TSN: McDavid better than we thought?

Travis Yost of TSN writes a really nice article about Connor McDavid's humble beginnings:

Everyone knew Connor McDavid would be good. Great, even. But perhaps we need to calibrate even our short-term expectations for him in Edmonton. If McDavid’s this comfortable after just 10 games at the NHL-level, where is he going to be by year two? Scary thought, that.

And the first two comments on the article are kind of cool:

Oilers beat Montreal Canadiens 4-3 in an incredible comeback from 3-0, Leon Draisatl debut

Draisatl was the first star with two goals in his NHL debut.

[Event Summary]

[Cult of Hockey]

Connor McDavid was once again the top story when you look at five things Sportsnet focused on from a busy night in the NHL. Even with Leon Draisatl making his NHL debut and scoring two goals, including the game winner. 

Here's McDavid's assist to Pouliot, which tied the game:

McDavid now has points in the last seven games. He has five goals and seven assists. Here was the other assist that he and Darnell Nurse were involved in.

And of course, the Draisatl game-winner:



It was like Rocky cutting down the Russian in Rocky IV. The Oilers have hung a second loss on the Canadiens in what was a tremendous hockey game. Carey Price is apparently now human. Connor McDavid, is not. The Oilers are now 4-7-0 and perhaps they will now reach a turning point in their young season.

On Saturday night, another Battle of Alberta in Edmonton.

Some NHL DFS Success

Had this bad boy entered in a tournament just before action got started.... and wouldn't you know the tournament was filled. Really sucks, and DFS in general really sucks.

Darnell Nurse's Debut Spoiled by two late goals

[Event Summary]

[Cult of Hockey]

Everyone was highly anticipating the debut of Darnell Nurse, and he did not disappoint. In fact, Nurse and Connor McDavid were probably the biggest highlights on the night for the Oilers.

What I'll remember from this game, is Nurse's unbelievable slapshot to give the Oilers the lead on his first career goal; and Connor McDavid's sick stick moves that almost juked Devan Dubnyk out of his skates. Nurse also showed exceptional fire and speed.



McDavid logged his 5th assist of the season on a Taylor Hall goal, Hall's fourth of the season. It seems like McDavid is just scoring every game. This has gone on well over a week now. Hall also added his fourth assist.

There is some talk - and lack of evidence - that this incarnation of the Oilers in 2015-2016 is no better than past iterations. Edmonton is 3-7-0 and has Montreal coming to town off a loss tomorrow night. This is enormous trouble, and the Oilers will need a strong homestand to turn the season around; or it could be another lost year in this final season at Rexall.

No Goal, Eh?

[Event Summary]

[Cult of Hockey]

A day later, but it doesn't make things any easier. 

With Justin Schultz and Griffin Reinhart shelved with injuries, Darnell Nurse has been called up to make his debut with the Edmonton Oilers. 

Last night wasn't without it's usual fireworks - Connor McDavid logged yet another point. He just keeps scoring, as noted around the blogosphere. 

It was due to McDavid's explosive speed:

Those @cmcdavid97 wheels... 🚀 #LAKvsEDM pic.twitter.com/pJkZLGoNc9

— Edmonton Oilers (@EdmontonOilers) October 26, 2015

In nine games, he has five goals and four assists. Absolutely incredible start to his career. And of course later in the game he was robbed of a dramatic goal; what could have been my most dramatic moment as an Oilers fan.

The Oilers head to Minnesota tomorrow night to take on the Wild.

Man, the Oilers got FUCKED tonight in Edmonton

Well, this is horrible. Went from what could have been my greatest Oilers memory ever (McDavid tying the game with a goal with 3.6 seconds to go), to this:

Looks in... https://t.co/X9zQf9Rr6t

— Jason Gold (@JayGold85) October 26, 2015

The NHL has a "Situation Room" blog:



I am disgusted right now. Could the NHL use some logic here? The puck was in the glove. The glove was in the net. Are you kidding me?

Oilers fall to 3-6. Brutal.

The Columbus Blue Jackets are off the Schneid

[NHL.com Recap]

[Puck Rakers]

[Event Summary]

Two Boone Jenner goals to get them off and running and 31 Seregei Bobrovsky saves, and the Blue Jackets are finally in the win column after a Saturday night 4-3 win in Colorado.

"We're not going to do it overnight," Dubinsky said. "We played some good hockey tonight. We took some penalties and put ourselves in a little bit of trouble, but we didn't quit. It's an effort we were accustomed to before this year started and it was nice to get back to that.

"You celebrate it. It's been a while since we've had this type of feeling in the dressing room, so we'll celebrate it."

Jarome Iginla scored and had a real nice game, also adding an assist and ending up +1 to be the third star of the game. Ryan Murray added a goal and an assist for the Blue Jackets.  

Picked up NHL '16 for Playstation 4

There's Connor McDavid scoring his first goal of his career for me. Right now he has four goals and I believe four assists. I played two games tonight and lose to the Wild in overtime and got beat by the monstrous Canadiens after getting up 2-0. I'm 4-6-1 thus far. 

I'll continue to update things as my season goes along with the PS4 Oilers. 

UPDATE: on Sunday morning the Oilers lost in Edmonton on PS4 5-4 in OT to the Flyers after tying it up with like :20 seconds to go. They're 5-6-2 on the year in my franchise. Connor McDavid scored goal number seven.

McDavid scores his fifth goal on a Friday Night Hockey Night

Connor McDavid logged his fifth goal of the season, and also tallied his third assist. The points are starting to pile up now. It wasn't his prettiest goal; but it counted on the power play.


Mcdavid also logged an assist on this pretty play.

The Oilers lost 7-4. Evgeny Kuznetsov logged a hat trick. Taylor Hall had an assist, and Ryan Nugent-Hopkins had a goal. Rough night for Anders Nielsen. Here are the player grades from the Cult of Hockey blog.

Other hockey things from the day:

1. I picked up EA Sports NHL 16. I am 2-3 with the Oilers so far. McDavid has no goals so far. It's pretty fun. I've played a lot of installments of this game through the years. 
2. Holy shit Canadiens, now 8-0 and absolutely bludgeoned to death the Buffalo Sabres by a score of 7-2. 
3. Jimmy Roberts passed away. 
4. Hockey Day in Canada is Saturday February 6th. The Oilers play at Montreal at 2:00 that day. 
5. Also noticed the Oilers play on New Years eve at Rexall, and on January 2nd at 4:00 ET. 
6. They play on Thanksgiving Eve and Black Friday. 
7. Huge hockey night again tomorrow night; the Blue Jackets are in action with an 0-8-0 record at Coloardo. 
8. I found this DFS Hockey site today. 
9. Spent some time reading about Howard Morenz the other day on a cool site about Hockey Legends. 

That's really all I got for tonight.

Columbus Blue Jackets fire Todd Richards, John Tortorella named Head Coach

Todd Richards is out, John Tortorella is in. Tonight is Torts' debut and it will take place up in Minnesota.

Here is a look at Tortorella's (his name is a pain in the ass to write) career record from coaching stints in New York, Tampa Bay, and Vancouver.

I've now heard Torts say a couple times that he doesn't know who the Blue Jackets are or what his players' names are.