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The Edmonton Oilers Failures Aren’t Connor McDavid’s Fault

By Warsame A

NEW YORK, NY - OCTOBER 13: Connor McDavid #97 of the Edmonton Oilers skates against the New York Rangers at Madison Square Garden on October 13, 2018 in New York City. The Edmonton Oilers won 2-1. (Photo by Jared Silber/NHLI via Getty Images)
NEW YORK, NY - OCTOBER 13: Connor McDavid #97 of the Edmonton Oilers skates against the New York Rangers at Madison Square Garden on October 13, 2018 in New York City. The Edmonton Oilers won 2-1. (Photo by Jared Silber/NHLI via Getty Images) /
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Apparently, a lot of critics believe that Connor McDavid isn’t the best player in the world because the Edmonton Oilers haven’t made the playoffs.

There has been some crazy talk surrounding the Edmonton Oilers the past few weeks. Mostly surrounding how badly the team performed the previous year. Also, add in the instability surrounding the coaching staff and management.

Listen it makes perfect sense to look at every single aspect of the Oilers organization from top to bottom to see how this team should shape up moving forward. A lot of eyes should be staring at Bob Nicholson and the lack of accountability he has shown for years and the fallout of the Peter Chiarelli fiasco. Same could be said about the lack of direction for this team.

But one person shouldn’t be at fault for this entire ordeal, and that man is Connor McDavid. The reason why I bring this up is that there have been some “media credentialed” writers and journalists who believe that Connor McDavid should be in the MVP conversation because his team floundered this past season.

Some of these critics have also said that you can’t claim that Connor McDavid should be considered the best player in hockey because he hasn’t been in the postseason for the last two years. Those statements are by the most ridiculous hot takes I’ve heard in a very long time.

Connor McDavid isn’t in charge of the Edmonton Oilers. He doesn’t hire scouts or coaching. He doesn’t draft players, make trades or make long term contracts. His only responsibility is on the ice, and there is nobody on this planet that has the talent level he possesses on a nightly basis.

He doesn’t have the adequate pieces to help him elevate this franchise to newer heights. Sidney Crosby struggled in his first few years in the league, but that didn’t knock him out of the NHL hierarchy. He eventually won a Stanley Cup once he got enough talent to get the Penguins over the hump.

It’s time for these same critics to throw their ire at the people responsible for the Oilers downfall. And not blame the best player for their shortcomings.

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