When Connor McDavid extended his contract with the Oilers in early October, he mentioned that it was all “about winning.” But as the 2025-26 season rolls on, Edmonton keeps looking as bad as it did after the loss to the Canucks in the season-opener. On Saturday, at the Prudential Center, the Oilers suffered yet another 5-3 loss, this time at the hands of the New Jersey Devils. Obviously, the squad captain wasn’t happy about it.

In a YouTube upload by the official account of the NHL team from October 18, McDavid’s post-match statements were shared. The Oilers finished 0-for-3 on the power play and conceded a shorthand goal for the second straight game. In reference to that, Connor said, “Obviously, our whole team’s just a little bit out of sync. Um, you know, not a lot of flow to our game. I don’t know. Yeah, just uh yeah, not connected enough even on the power play.”

“We talk about getting off to a good start and we want to get off to a good start. Um, you know, so these games matter and it’s important and we didn’t find a way to win or get better today. So, um, maybe the second part is more important than the first. Results matter, but I didn’t like that. Uh, we didn’t seem to get any better today,” McDavid added about how the team is still struggling to find its footing. The captain’s words were also reflected by the head coach, Kris Knoblauch.

“That’s two games now where we had a chance on the power play to really make a difference. The Islanders game, we’re up 2-1, score late in the second period, and going into third with a 3-1 lead would have been huge. Unfortunately, they score, and tonight was a very similar situation. We’re down 2-1, and in the third period, we have an opportunity to make it 2-2, but we give up a shorthanded goal, and then it’s 3-1. It’s really difficult to get out of that,” the coach stated after the game.

Some fans might argue that Connor McDavid & Co. might be feeling the absence of Corey Perry and Zach Hyman, their top goalscorers from last season. Perry has been picked up by the LA Kings, and Hyman is recovering from a wrist injury. However, the captain knows the solution to the Oilers’ problems is laid bare. “Everybody can be simpler. Everybody can do things a little bit easier, more predictable for each other. Get more pucks to the net, get more bodies to the net. All the cliches are cliches because they work. We’ll get back to our game here,” McDavid said.

But the loss to the Devils obviously hurt. Even more so because the shorthanded goal was scored by Connor Brown, a former Edmonton player. “I was telling the guys, (Leon) Draisaitl used to always tell me to go backhand-forehand on breakaways, so I thought I’d try it there and it worked,” Brown said later, about how he used his ex-teammate’s tip to bring his new camp the victory on Saturday.

But all is not bleak for the Oilers.

Connor McDavid still has people who can win games

Just last Tuesday, Edmonton shut out the Rangers in their own home with the help of Stuart Skinner. After the Oilers’ netminder’s performance in the championship series last season angered the fans, this was a massive improvement. What’s more, Skinner even tied with Devan Dubnyk and Bill Ranford for the fifth-most shutouts in Edmonton’s history in that match.

McDavid, too, despite the Oilers’ ongoing misery, has been looking pretty sharp himself. As the season began, his speed on the ice impressed many. “Notable for the guy who plays the game at speed better than anyone else,” wrote Ryan Rishaug on social media earlier this month. Moreover, by being targeted constantly by his opponents, McDavid also has the public sentiment on his side.

Edmonton continues its journey on the road, as the boys head to Detroit to take on the Red Wings next. Will McDavid and his teammates be able to reach into their caps and come up with a winning formula? Share your thoughts below!