Connor McDavid is a magician.
The Edmonton Oilers prodigy has taken the NHL by storm since entering the league at 18. In only 85 games, McDavid's proven one of the most prolific passers in hockey, his 2.23 assists per 60 minutes ranking third since 2015-16. In 40 games this season, his 18 primary assists rank second only to Evgeni Malkin's 19.
No. 97 uses his deft hands, innate decision-making skills, perfect passing, and unparalleled vision to make his teammates better - and he's going to be doing it for a long time.
A prime example of said talents came Thursday night, when McDavid set up Patrick Maroon's game-opening goal in Boston.
Here's how Thursday's dazzling primary assist went down:
The play begins with Edmonton defenseman Oscar Klefbom blocking a weak wrist shot from the point and leading the breakout, with two Bruins trapped behind him. Here come the Oilers:
Klefbom passes to his defense partner, Adam Larsson, with McDavid and Maroon turning up the wings:
Larsson sees McDavid on his runway, preparing for takeoff, and attempts to get the puck to No. 97 for what can become, at least, a two-on-two rush. Unfortunately, his pass isn't a good one, heading for McDavid's skates:
Don't worry about it, Adam - Connor's got you. In a split second, McDavid decides not to take the pass, knowing Leon Draisaitl is providing support up ahead, between the red and blue line. Instead, McDavid doesn't break stride, and lets the puck go through his legs, turning a bad Larsson-to-McDavid pass into an excellent Larsson-to-Draisaitl pass (it's a small play, a minor decision, the furthest from showing up in a box score, but one that serves as a perfect example of how McDavid makes those on the ice with him better):
Draisaitl, recognizing McDavid has taken off and is about to hit top gear, uses a smart, short one-timer pass to get the puck to No. 97 for the zone entry:
Draisaitl's pass means McDavid enters the Boston zone on what is now a two-on-three rush, with Maroon way over on the far wing, hardly in position to provide much help. Keep in mind, one of the three Bruins below - the one right in front of McDavid - is Zdeno Chara, who is the size of two normal humans and uses a stick as long as a small tree:
Now things get ridiculous. Again, McDavid's up against Chara, who has support from Patrice Bergeron - one of the best defensive players in hockey - and his defense partner Brandon Carlo. Everyone's forgotten about Maroon, because how can Maroon possibly get the puck? That is, everyone except McDavid, who, using his otherworldly stickhandling abilities, dangles around and embarrasses one of the game's most challenging one-on-one defenders:
It gets better. This is where we again marvel at McDavid's hockey instincts and raw talent. After using his forehand to dangle Chara and evade his absurd reach - McDavid, a left-handed shooter, draws the puck to his right on the deke, passing it to himself under Chara's stick - No. 97 uses his right skate to kick the puck back up to his stick, with three Bruins now in striking distance. In fact, there are four Bruins closer to McDavid than Maroon:
With the three-time Selke Trophy winner Bergeron now closer to McDavid than Chara, and Chara never truly ever far away, McDavid knows he's in the tightest of tight quarters. So, after kicking the puck back up to himself, he uses his backhand to get the disc toward the net, knowing a backhand saucer pass, just barely off the ice, is the only way he's going to avoid both Bruins - and especially Chara's stick. And, keep in mind, not once has McDavid shown any sign he's aware of Maroon's presence. And that means Bruins goalie Tuukka Rask isn't thinking about Maroon, either. But McDavid knows his winger's going to the net. Maroon's got one job:
Guess what? The pass is placed perfectly atop Rask's crease, ensuring the Bruins goalie can't reach out and deflect it away, and slides under the stick of the 6-foot-5 Carlo, who is rudely reminded of Maroon's existence. All Maroon (who actually has two jobs) has to do is put the puck - placed right on his stick - into a half-empty net. And he does.
Sixty-eight seconds into the game and the Oilers have a lead on the road:
Maroon's smile when he finds his center after the goal is a telling example of how much fun it is to play with McDavid:
Watch video of the incredible goal on the NHL's website, and notice on the tighter replay, beginning at the 0:35-second mark, that not once - not through the neutral zone, not at the blue line, and not while deking to avoid multiple Bruins - does McDavid acknowledge Maroon's presence on the left wing.
It's McDavid's ability to make brilliant split-second decisions at full throttle, stickhandle around some of the game's best in close quarters, and make passes to himself and his teammates without looking that sets him apart. You want to play with No. 97. Ask Maroon.
Not even 100 games into his career, this much is certain: There's only one Connor McDavid.
