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Connor McDavid Sets Sights on Next 1,000 Points as Oilers Face Maple Leafs

Edmonton Oilers captain Connor McDavid embarks on his journey to a second 1,000 career points Saturday night as the Oilers visit the Toronto Maple Leafs.

McDavid, 27, reached the prestigious 1,000-point milestone on Thursday night with a goal and an assist in Edmonton’s 3-2 overtime victory against the Nashville Predators. The achievement makes McDavid the 99th player in NHL history to hit 1,000 points and the fourth-fastest to do so, achieving the feat in just 659 games. He is also the fourth-youngest player to reach the milestone, having recorded 341 goals and 660 assists in his career.

Reflecting on the accomplishment, McDavid shared his gratitude for the home crowd in Edmonton.

“Just seeing the way the players reacted means the world to me,” McDavid said. “It was a really special moment. These milestones are a great time to reflect and look back. It’s been a good 10 years and hopefully 10 more good ones.”

Leon Draisaitl, McDavid’s teammate and frequent collaborator, expressed confidence in McDavid’s ability to double his career total.

“If not him, who else? That is the only question I have,” Draisaitl said. “I never bet against Connor McDavid.”

The Oilers are on a roll, winning three consecutive games and five of their last seven. Their current stretch includes a three-game Eastern road trip starting with Toronto.

The Maple Leafs, meanwhile, are riding momentum after a dramatic 4-3 overtime win against the Washington Capitals on Wednesday. However, they remain without star center Auston Matthews, sidelined for the sixth straight game with an upper-body injury. Head coach Craig Berube indicated that Matthews is recovering as planned.

“No setbacks,” Berube said. “We’re doing what we can. We have two games in a long stretch here, so we’re just letting him recover.”

Toronto’s victory in Washington featured a remarkable comeback, with the team scoring twice in the final 4:09 of regulation to force overtime. It marked their first road win when trailing by more than one goal with under five minutes remaining since December 2010.

“We talked about staying with it,” said Maple Leafs captain John Tavares, who scored the game-winning goal in overtime. “Their lead increased, and a couple [of goals] didn’t count, but we found a way. Good character win and bounce-back.”

The Leafs are navigating injuries and lineup adjustments. Defenseman Jani Hakanpaa made his season debut Wednesday after missing the first 17 games due to a lower-body injury, while Max Domi missed Friday’s practice for maintenance. On a brighter note, defenseman Oliver Ekman-Larsson played in his 1,000th NHL game during the Washington matchup.

Toronto has won four of its last five games, all without Matthews. Following Saturday’s game, they will have an extended break before hosting the Vegas Golden Knights on Wednesday.

As McDavid aims for the next chapter in his storied career, the showdown between Edmonton and Toronto promises to be a marquee matchup, even with Matthews sidelined.