Connor McDavid chases history in Game 5 versus Los Angeles Kings

After taking both games on the road versus the Los Angeles Kings, the Edmonton Oilers return home with a chance to finish off their Pacific Division rivals. Win at Rogers Place on Wednesday night, and Kris Knoblauch's team will advance to the second round, where they will face either the Vancouver Canucks or Nashville Predators.

Unsurprisingly, Connor McDavid will spearhead the Oilers' charge, in their quest to finally win a Stanley Cup for the first time since 1990. Entering Wednesday night's slate of games, his 10 overall points leads all NHL players thus far in this season's playoffs.

These 10 overall points include nine assists, which are also the most of any player up to this point in the 2023-24 playoffs. And on the subject of assists, McDavid has a chance at a place in history on Wednesday night, or however much longer the Oilers' series with the Kings lasts for.

McDavid can join Gretzky

As per Jason Gregor of Sports 1440 via Oilers Nation, with one more helper, McDavid will join an exclusive club with fellow Oilers legend Wayne Gretzky. More specifically, they will be the only two players in NHL history to ever record double-digit assists in a playoff series more than once.

Admittedly this does come with the caveat, that Gretzky achieved this distinction four times during his glorious NHL career. Regardless, it would still be an impressive accomplishment by McDavid to manage it for a second time, and still with -- theoretically at least -- many more opportunities to eventually equal (and maybe even surpass) the Great One.

The first time McDavid reached 10 assists in a playoff series, incidentally also came versus the Kings, in the first round back in 2021-22. It's fair to state he likes playing the Los Angeles rivals in the playoffs, as evidenced by 34 points (eights goals and 26 assists) in 17 games prior to Wednesday night's game five in Edmonton.

Draisaitl also in the mix

Interestingly, teammate Leon Draisaitl holds the NHL record for most assists in a playoff series. He achieved this back in 2021-22, with 15 helpers -- and 17 overall points -- in the Battle of Alberta, when the Oilers beat the Calgary Flames in five games to advance to the Western Conference Finals for the first time since the 2005-06 campaign.

As a final statistical note, via Hockey Reference, McDavid and Draisaitl are tied third all-time with an average of 1.604 points per playoff contest, which gives some indication of how much trouble the Kings could be in on Wednesday night at Rogers Place. Gretzky is first all-time with 1.837 points per game, while Mario Lemieux is second, at 1.607.

Overall, we've previously indicated that for all McDavid has achieved during his career in Edmonton -- and it's a lot -- it still isn't enough. However, while this may or may not be the season he finally wins his first Stanley Cup, there's no denying he's doing everything possible to achieve this ambition.

Recent Posts