Thursday night's 4-2 loss versus the Columbus Blue Jackets, was a frustrating one for all concerned. The Edmonton Oilers just didn't seem prepared to play, and it ultimately meant the end of their latest winning streak, this time at five games.
Despite the loss, the game was noticeable for Connor McDavid's contribution on the first Oilers goal, as he set up Zach Hyman's 43rd goal of the season. It represented the 100th point of the season for the captain.
Of course reaching 100 points is nothing new for McDavid, but the latest occurrence of this has put him in some pretty special and rate territory. He is only the third player in NHL history, to record seven or more seasons of 100 points before reaching the age of 28.
The other two players to achieve this remarkable feat are Mario Lemieux and (of course) Wayne Gretzky. Lemieux produced 100 points eight times prior to reaching 28, while Gretzky managed it 10 times, which will not be equalled never mind beaten.
McDavid versus Gretzky
It's arguably whether McDavid will ever reach the same level and status as Gretzky. The main reason for this -- fair or not -- is that he has yet to win even one Stanley Cup, never mind the four that the Great One captured during his time in Edmonton.
However, this doesn't mean the 27-year-old isn't having a special career in his own right. In fact, assuming he does sign a contract extension to remain with the Oilers -- his current deal ends after the 2025-26 season -- he can still leave his own indelible mark on both team and league history.
One of the main reasons McDavid has been so productive this season, is how often he's helped in setting up his teammates to score. Entering Saturday's slate of NHL games, he has 77 assists in 59 games.
This puts the seven-time All-Star on pace to surpass his current best of 89 helpers, set just last season. However, it also puts him on course to become just the fourth player in league history to reach 100 assists in a season.
Gretzky achieved this on 11 occasions, which will also never be equalled or beaten. Meanwhile, both Lemieux and Bobby Orr managed it once each, with 114 and 102 assists respectively.
Records which CAN be caught
Where McDavid might be able to catch Gretzky, will depend on remaining consistently productive (of course), but also staying in Edmonton. For a start, the former is currently on a streak of four consecutive seasons with 100 points for the Oilers, while the latter holds the record of nine straight NHL seasons. (It is actually 10 straight, if you include the Oilers' final season in the WHA.)
Now yes, the only reason Gretzky's sequence stopped at nine with the Oilers, was due to his stunning trade to the Los Angeles Kings. Regardless, it doesn't change the reality McDavid can catch and surpass the Oilers legend.
Another Oilers record which should be easier for McDavid to set, is most 100-point seasons. Now on seven overall, he has climbed to within two of Gretzky's total of nine.
Last season was a special season for McDavid, as he all but swept the board with four individual accolades. This included winning his fifth Art Ross Trophy, with his 153 points representing the most by a player since 1995-96, and the fourth-most by any player in NHL history.
The 2015 first overall draft pick is again in the mix to win the Art Ross Trophy in 2023-24, but it's not going to be easy. Despite recovering from 'only' 16 points in his first 16 games of this season, there's still plenty to do.
Prior to Saturday's games, consider that Colorado's Nathan McKinnon leads the way with 111 points, with 17 games left. Meanwhile, Nikita Kucherov of the Lightning has 106 points, with 19 games remaining.
McDavid has 21 games left, which at least means he has a chance, but he's still going to have to step up his game. For what it's worth, he is on a 13-game points streak with 29 total points, that includes a ridiculous 27 assists.
When it's all said and done, McDavid will go down as one of the very best players in both Oilers and NHL history. Now, it's a case of improving his status, by finally winning the Stanley Cup.