Leon Draisaitl of the Edmonton Oilers expresses his thoughts on Connor McDavid’s magic in Game 5.

Leon Draisaitl stood in front of a sea of microphones and recorders, his eyes still bright from the adrenaline of the night before, his voice measured but tinged with admiration that could not be hidden. In the heart of the postseason’s crucible, after Game 5 of a fiercely contested playoff series, the Edmonton Oilers found their compass once again. And it came, as it so often does, in the form of their captain—Connor McDavid. The game had been a battle of wills, a relentless exchange of physicality, strategy, and raw skill, and in its most pivotal moments, McDavid rose not just to meet the occasion but to redefine it. Leon Draisaitl, his longtime teammate and one of the premier players in his own right, had seen it all unfold just feet away. What he witnessed wasn’t just a great performance. It was magic.

Draisaitl, a player who combines power and finesse with a cerebral approach to the game, knows excellence when he sees it. He’s delivered it himself on countless nights for the Oilers. But even for him, McDavid’s performance in Game 5 was something special, something that needed to be acknowledged in full. Speaking with the media, Draisaitl didn’t reach for clichés or rehearsed praise. Instead, he let authenticity speak. “You run out of words for him,” he said. “I mean, what more can you say? That’s just what he does. That’s Connor being Connor.” It was a statement loaded with awe and familiarity. He wasn’t surprised, because McDavid’s brilliance has become routine. And yet, even the routine can inspire when it’s delivered with such breathtaking clarity.

The Oilers had entered Game 5 needing a lift. The series had swung back and forth, each side jostling for control like two prizefighters locked in a heavyweight bout. The pressure was mounting, not just from the fans or the media but from the knowledge that each misstep could shift the series’ trajectory irreversibly. Edmonton had long been a team with expectations—rightfully so, given the firepower on its roster—but those expectations can be as much burden as they are motivator. Draisaitl and McDavid, the twin engines of the team, carried that weight together. They knew what it meant to shoulder a franchise’s hopes and dreams.

It was in that context that McDavid delivered his masterclass. From his very first shift, he seemed to skate with a different kind of urgency, cutting through defenders with that trademark explosiveness, the kind that leaves even the most seasoned blueliners grasping at air. His vision was crystalline, his timing impeccable. Every touch of the puck carried intent, every movement off the puck drew defenders out of position. And when the game hung in the balance, it was McDavid who tilted it. Whether setting up a goal with a preternatural pass or scoring one himself through sheer will and speed, he made his mark on every level.

Draisaitl, who has spent years both playing alongside and watching McDavid evolve, recognized that what unfolded wasn’t just great—it was transcendent. “It’s not just about the points,” he explained. “It’s how he controls the game, how he sees it two steps ahead. You can feel it on the bench when he’s going. It lifts everybody.” That effect is intangible and yet undeniably real. It’s the reason coaches double-shift McDavid when the game demands a push, why teammates straighten their backs just a little more when No. 97 is flying. It’s leadership that manifests not only in huddles or speeches but in the audacity of his play.

Draisaitl, too, played a critical role in the win, contributing with his own unique blend of physical dominance and pinpoint execution. Yet he made clear that McDavid’s performance stood out, even to him. “He just has that gear that nobody else does,” he said. “You think he’s at full speed and then he finds another level. It’s insane.” The words carried no exaggeration, only truth. McDavid’s edgework, his acceleration, the rapid calculation of angles and opportunity—it all converges into something that seems to operate outside the constraints of physics or coaching diagrams.

The bond between Draisaitl and McDavid goes beyond stats and accolades. It is a partnership built on mutual respect, a shared burden of leadership, and an understanding that their combined efforts are what elevate the Oilers from contender to true threat. Game 5 was a reminder of that dynamic. While McDavid dazzled, Draisaitl fortified. Where McDavid cut through defenses, Draisaitl established presence, drew coverage, and made the plays that don’t always show up in highlights but are just as crucial. And yet, there was no ego in Draisaitl’s voice when talking about McDavid. No guardedness or competitive edge. Just reverence.

“You see him do something like that and it’s not even surprising anymore,” Draisaitl admitted. “But you still catch yourself watching. Like, ‘Did he really just do that?’ You shake your head. It’s special.” For a player like Draisaitl to say that—someone who’s carved his own name deep into the history of the franchise and the league—it underscores just how unique McDavid’s impact truly is. The greats recognize greatness, not just in numbers but in the invisible threads of influence that stretch through every shift and every moment.

After the final buzzer, as fans roared and players converged in celebration, the scene spoke volumes. McDavid skated calmly, nodding at teammates, expression stoic yet intense. He had done his job, as he always seeks to do, and now it was on to the next. But for those watching—teammates, fans, media alike—it was a moment to pause and reflect. These are the games that define legacies, not simply because of the stakes but because of the way they are met. For Draisaitl, whose hockey IQ is as sharp as any in the game, the appreciation runs deep. He knows what it takes to perform at that level. He knows the cost, the preparation, the obsession. And he knows that what McDavid brings is rare—perhaps even singular.

Asked if he ever talks to McDavid about how he pulls off the impossible, Draisaitl chuckled. “Not really,” he said. “I think we both just kind of get it. There’s a rhythm when you’ve played together that long. You don’t need to talk about it. You just play off each other. But yeah, sometimes I’ll joke with him on the bench, like, ‘Save some of that for the next game.’”

Behind the humor is truth. McDavid’s energy seems boundless, his capacity for brilliance unrelenting. And in the crucible of playoff hockey, that matters more than ever. Every team still alive at this point is dangerous. Every matchup is a test of resilience and resolve. But the Oilers, with McDavid at the helm and Draisaitl right beside him, possess a weapon few can match. The dynamic between them is the Oilers’ heartbeat—synchronized, powerful, and unwavering. In Game 5, that rhythm was pure and potent.

Draisaitl didn’t need to say much more. His tone, his expressions, the quiet reverence in his words—they all spoke volumes. He has seen a lot in his career already: individual accolades, playoff heartbreak, moments of glory and growth. But watching Connor McDavid elevate in a moment that demanded greatness was still something that moved him. It wasn’t just a teammate’s appreciation. It was a competitor’s admiration, a leader’s respect, and a friend’s pride.

The bus ride back to the hotel that night was quieter than usual, Draisaitl noted. Players were tired, focused, aware that while the win had been crucial, the job wasn’t done. But somewhere in that silence, there was also satisfaction—the kind that comes from knowing that when the lights were brightest, the best player in the world had shown exactly why he holds that title. And for Draisaitl, there was a quiet comfort in knowing that his journey through this playoff gauntlet continues with McDavid right there beside him, leading the charge with brilliance that defies description and defines eras.

but tinged with admiration that could not be hidden. In the heart of the postseason’s crucible, after Game 5 of a fiercely contested playoff series, the Edmonton Oilers found their compass once again. And it came, as it so often does, in the form of their captain—Connor McDavid. The game had been a battle of wills, a relentless exchange of physicality, strategy, and raw skill, and in its most pivotal moments, McDavid rose not just to meet the occasion but to redefine it. Leon Draisaitl, his longtime teammate and one of the premier players in his own right, had seen it all unfold just feet away. What he witnessed wasn’t just a great performance. It was magic.

Draisaitl, a player who combines power and finesse with a cerebral approach to the game, knows excellence when he sees it. He’s delivered it himself on countless nights for the Oilers. But even for him, McDavid’s performance in Game 5 was something special, something that needed to be acknowledged in full. Speaking with the media, Draisaitl didn’t reach for clichés or rehearsed praise. Instead, he let authenticity speak. “You run out of words for him,” he said. “I mean, what more can you say? That’s just what he does. That’s Connor being Connor.” It was a statement loaded with awe and familiarity. He wasn’t surprised, because McDavid’s brilliance has become routine. And yet, even the routine can inspire when it’s delivered with such breathtaking clarity.

The Oilers had entered Game 5 needing a lift. The series had swung back and forth, each side jostling for control like two prizefighters locked in a heavyweight bout. The pressure was mounting, not just from the fans or the media but from the knowledge that each misstep could shift the series’ trajectory irreversibly. Edmonton had long been a team with expectations—rightfully so, given the firepower on its roster—but those expectations can be as much burden as they are motivator. Draisaitl and McDavid, the twin engines of the team, carried that weight together. They knew what it meant to shoulder a franchise’s hopes and dreams.

It was in that context that McDavid delivered his masterclass. From his very first shift, he seemed to skate with a different kind of urgency, cutting through defenders with that trademark explosiveness, the kind that leaves even the most seasoned blueliners grasping at air. His vision was crystalline, his timing impeccable. Every touch of the puck carried intent, every movement off the puck drew defenders out of position. And when the game hung in the balance, it was McDavid who tilted it. Whether setting up a goal with a preternatural pass or scoring one himself through sheer will and speed, he made his mark on every level.

Draisaitl, who has spent years both playing alongside and watching McDavid evolve, recognized that what unfolded wasn’t just great—it was transcendent. “It’s not just about the points,” he explained. “It’s how he controls the game, how he sees it two steps ahead. You can feel it on the bench when he’s going. It lifts everybody.” That effect is intangible and yet undeniably real. It’s the reason coaches double-shift McDavid when the game demands a push, why teammates straighten their backs just a little more when No. 97 is flying. It’s leadership that manifests not only in huddles or speeches but in the audacity of his play.

Draisaitl, too, played a critical role in the win, contributing with his own unique blend of physical dominance and pinpoint execution. Yet he made clear that McDavid’s performance stood out, even to him. “He just has that gear that nobody else does,” he said. “You think he’s at full speed and then he finds another level. It’s insane.” The words carried no exaggeration, only truth. McDavid’s edgework, his acceleration, the rapid calculation of angles and opportunity—it all converges into something that seems to operate outside the constraints of physics or coaching diagrams.

The bond between Draisaitl and McDavid goes beyond stats and accolades. It is a partnership built on mutual respect, a shared burden of leadership, and an understanding that their combined efforts are what elevate the Oilers from contender to true threat. Game 5 was a reminder of that dynamic. While McDavid dazzled, Draisaitl fortified. Where McDavid cut through defenses, Draisaitl established presence, drew coverage, and made the plays that don’t always show up in highlights but are just as crucial. And yet, there was no ego in Draisaitl’s voice when talking about McDavid. No guardedness or competitive edge. Just reverence.

“You see him do something like that and it’s not even surprising anymore,” Draisaitl admitted. “But you still catch yourself watching. Like, ‘Did he really just do that?’ You shake your head. It’s special.” For a player like Draisaitl to say that—someone who’s carved his own name deep into the history of the franchise and the league—it underscores just how unique McDavid’s impact truly is. The greats recognize greatness, not just in numbers but in the invisible threads of influence that stretch through every shift and every moment.

After the final buzzer, as fans roared and players converged in celebration, the scene spoke volumes. McDavid skated calmly, nodding at teammates, expression stoic yet intense. He had done his job, as he always seeks to do, and now it was on to the next. But for those watching—teammates, fans, media alike—it was a moment to pause and reflect. These are the games that define legacies, not simply because of the stakes but because of the way they are met. For Draisaitl, whose hockey IQ is as sharp as any in the game, the appreciation runs deep. He knows what it takes to perform at that level. He knows the cost, the preparation, the obsession. And he knows that what McDavid brings is rare—perhaps even singular.

Asked if he ever talks to McDavid about how he pulls off the impossible, Draisaitl chuckled. “Not really,” he said. “I think we both just kind of get it. There’s a rhythm when you’ve played together that long. You don’t need to talk about it. You just play off each other. But yeah, sometimes I’ll joke with him on the bench, like, ‘Save some of that for the next game.’”

Behind the humor is truth. McDavid’s energy seems boundless, his capacity for brilliance unrelenting. And in the crucible of playoff hockey, that matters more than ever. Every team still alive at this point is dangerous. Every matchup is a test of resilience and resolve. But the Oilers, with McDavid at the helm and Draisaitl right beside him, possess a weapon few can match. The dynamic between them is the Oilers’ heartbeat—synchronized, powerful, and unwavering. In Game 5, that rhythm was pure and potent.

Draisaitl didn’t need to say much more. His tone, his expressions, the quiet reverence in his words—they all spoke volumes. He has seen a lot in his career already: individual accolades, playoff heartbreak, moments of glory and growth. But watching Connor McDavid elevate in a moment that demanded greatness was still something that moved him. It wasn’t just a teammate’s appreciation. It was a competitor’s admiration, a leader’s respect, and a friend’s pride.

The bus ride back to the hotel that night was quieter than usual, Draisaitl noted. Players were tired, focused, aware that while the win had been crucial, the job wasn’t done. But somewhere in that silence, there was also satisfaction—the kind that comes from knowing that when the lights were brightest, the best player in the world had shown exactly why he holds that title. And for Draisaitl, there was a quiet comfort in knowing that his journey through this playoff gauntlet continues with McDavid right there beside him, leading the charge with brilliance that defies description and defines eras.