Connor McDavid wants to score more goals this season
Goaltenders around the NHL, consider this a warning.
Even after scoring a career-high 41 goals in 2017-18, Edmonton Oilers superstar Connor McDavid is looking for more this coming season.
"I've always said I want to score more," he told reporters at BioSteel camp on Monday, according to Sportsnet's Chris Johnston. "That's what I want to do. I want to find ways to score. I think I'm a good passer and can make plays and all that, but there's definitely a knack to putting the puck in the net that I seemed to find a little bit later in the year last year and I’m hoping to carry that into this year."
McDavid certainly did find that knack in the second half of the season, and it can be at least partially attributed to a willingness to become more of a volume shooter.
| Stat | 1st half | 2nd half |
|---|---|---|
| Goals | 14 | 27 |
| Shots | 117 | 157 |
| S% | 12.0 | 17.2 |
If McDavid shoots at the rate he did in the second half of 2017-18 for the entire upcoming season, he'll surpass the 300-shot mark with ease. In that case, he could very well pot 50 goals. After all, he scored 16 in his injury shortened rookie year, 30 in his Hart Trophy winning 2016-17 season, and 41 last season.
For most of the first half of the season, the wings on McDavid's line were revolving doors. But towards the end of the year, he teamed up with noted playmaker Ryan Nugent-Hopkins and Ty Rattie, and the trio found great chemistry together. The unit looks poised to open the season as the club's top line - something McDavid would certainly be open to.
"We juggled the lines a lot last year," McDavid said. "That’s just how it played out. Obviously it would be nice to be able to play with a consistent line and a group, but if that’s not how it works out again then so be it. Obviously I had a lot of fun playing with (Nugent-Hopkins) and (Rattie)."