Connor McDavid praised rookie winger Matt Savoie after his career’s first hat trick, highlighting growing chemistry on Edmonton’s top line.
Savoie scored a hat trick in the first period of the Edmonton Oilers‘ 6-1 win over the Vancouver Canucks. This was the Oilers’ last regular-season game of the 2025-26 NHL season. He is starting to show growing confidence while playing with McDavd.
The 22-year-old has benefited from playing alongside McDavid, a role that has boosted his production. Savoie sits at 18 goals and 37 points through 82 games in a strong rookie season.
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Speaking after the game, McDavid pointed to the developing understanding between the two.
“Yeah, we’re building something a little bit, you know, playing together for a while now and, starting to, as you said, understand each other a little bit,” McDavid said. “Heisy [Zach Hyman] came in and did exactly what he does, forechecks hard and, you know, fills that net front spot and, you know, frees up a lot of space for us.”
That connection was on full display in Edmonton’s dominant 6-1 win over Vancouver. McDavid recorded four assists, including two on the power play, and set up all three of Savoie’s goals early. He added another assist on Ryan Nugent-Hopkins’ power-play tally to cap the night.
McDavid finished the regular season with 138 points, leading the NHL while topping the assists chart with 90. He also scored 48 goals, underlining his all-around dominance. With this run, he has now won his 6th Art Ross Trophy.
McDavid is now four Art Ross Trophies away from tying Wayne Gretzky‘s 10 wins during his NHL career. McDavid also has 9 100-point seasons, 6 seasons behind Wayne Gretzky’s 15 100-point seasons.
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Connor McDavid on Oilers’ Win Over Canucks and Its Importance for Playoffs
McDavid stressed the importance of finishing strong heading into the postseason after the win over Vancouver.
“Yeah, it was an important one,” McDavid said. “Obviously, we wanted to start here at home and give ourselves the best chance there in the first round. The start was great. I thought Sammy’s line with Docker and Freddy were unbelievable and really got us going. A good start was key, and we got it.”
The Oilers closed the season 41–30–11, finishing second in the Pacific Division with 93 points. Their offense remained elite, averaging 3.44 goals per game and leading the league with a 30.6 percent power play.
However, defensive inconsistency remained a concern, as Edmonton allowed over three goals per game. Despite that, their attacking depth and star power make them a serious playoff threat.
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The Oilers will now open the playoffs against the Anaheim Ducks at home, carrying momentum and relying on their high-powered offense.
