- Mike Babcock says McDavid’s heavy ice time “has to stop”
- McDavid played just under 26 minutes in a 4-2 loss to Utah
- Read below for why Edmonton’s injuries are forcing the issue
Mike Babcock knows he is leaning on Connor McDavid too hard, and he says it has to change.
The Oilers coach talked after Thursday night’s 4-2 loss to the Utah Mammoth, Edmonton’s first regulation loss of the season. McDavid logged just under 26 minutes, with Leon Draisaitl at 23 and Vasily Podkolzin at 22. That pushes McDavid’s average to a career-high 23:53 through seven games.
Babcock was asked about the workload and didn’t dodge it.
“I’m real lucky that the way the games have been spaced out, that we’ve been able to do that a little bit, but that’s not the NHL. It’s impossible,” Babcock said. “We’ll give them a day off on Friday, those guys, and get back at it for the next game, but it has to stop.”
He also admitted the minutes are on him. “I look at it every night, and I go, ‘What the heck am I doing?’ but I’m also trying to survive right now,” he said.
Check out Babcock’s opening comments after the loss:
Injuries are the reason the minutes keep climbing. Zach Hyman, Ryan Nugent-Hopkins and Matt Savoie are all out, which strips most of the second line. Jason Dickinson sat Thursday with another issue, and Colton Dach has missed four straight.
Babcock said the lack of depth showed against a Utah group that scored twice on the power play. “They have a deep team and we’re going to have a deep team, too, but right now we’re not as deep,” he said.
McDavid still found a way to extend his point streak to all seven games. He has four goals and 14 assists, and his feed to Draisaitl in the second period cut Utah’s lead to 2-1. The streak of five straight Edmonton wins ended, but the captain wasn’t using the roster as an excuse.
McDavid was asked about the effort after the loss. Here he is:
The Oilers (5-1-1) get another crack at the Mammoth on Saturday in Utah. Babcock’s day off for his top guys on Friday is the first real test of whether he can ease that workload.
We covered McDavid’s four-point night in his 800th game earlier this week, and Babcock’s praise for Evan Bouchard before that.
