Oilers' Connor McDavid Discusses Emotional Night vs. Penguins

There are games that feel important because of the standings, and then there are nights that feel heavy because of everything attached to them. Heading into the Oilers vs. Penguins matchup, this one carried weight from every direction.

Edmonton was finally finding its stride after a choppy stretch, while Leon Draisaitl sat on 999 career points. On the other side, Pittsburgh was going through historic struggles — five straight losses, each more painful than the last — even as Sidney Crosby quietly crept closer to the most meaningful milestone in Penguins franchise history.

Evgeni Malkin’s absence loomed large after he was injured in Tampa, a dramatic game that ended with a controversial late-game call and further thinned a Penguins lineup already searching for players to step up. But when Crosby shares the ice with Connor McDavid and Leon Draisaitl, none of that really matters. Those nights demand attention.

Adding another layer, Tristan Jarry and Stuart Skinner, who were just traded for each other, were starting their first games with their new teams against their former squads. With Crosby just two points shy of tying Mario Lemieux exactly 20 years after Lemieux’s final game, the night felt impossible to script.

🇩🇪🚬😂 pic.twitter.com/ZFnuQs1Q3n
— Edmonton Oilers (@EdmontonOilers) December 17, 2025

A Game Drowning in Storylines

The hockey itself somehow lived up to the buildup. McDavid and Draisaitl each finished with four points, with Draisaitl reaching 1,000 career points in the process and becoming the first German-born player in NHL history to do so. The Oilers also became the first NHL team to have five players score 1,000 points.

His milestone came quietly but meaningfully, a secondary assist on Zach Hyman’s 5-on-3 power-play goal midway through the first period (video below). Draisaitl’s cross-ice pass opened space for McDavid, who fed Hyman at the crease to make it 1–0. McDavid later reflected on how impressive the milestone was and the significance of reaching 1,000 points as a teammate and friend.

LEON DRAISAITL!!! 1,000 CAREER POINTS FOR NO. 29 🗣️ pic.twitter.com/J36lc7nF2E
— Sportsnet (@Sportsnet) December 17, 2025

McDavid added two goals and two assists, extending his point streak to seven games, while Hyman and Evan Bouchard chipped in a goal and an assist each. Edmonton continued its upward trend, now 5-1-1 in its last seven.

Crosby recorded an assist of his own, pulling within one point of Mario Lemieux for the Penguins’ all-time scoring lead.

The Human Side of a Hockey Trade

After the win, during a postgame media scrum, McDavid was asked about seeing Tristan Jarry and Stuart Skinner in the opposite crease for the first time since being traded. He reflected on the unusual sight and the personal side of hockey trades, noting how weird it was to watch familiar faces now stand on the other side.

“Strange. I’ve seen him in the net lots, shot lots of pucks at him in practice, but strange to see him in the other net. Maybe not emotional, but understanding that both those guys were big parts of this group for a long time. We’ve had lots of great times together and some bad times too, and that forges relationships. It’s disappointing to see them go and difficult to see them on the other side,” said McDavid.

We got Tristan Jarry playing for the Oilers in a Penguins mask, and Stuart Skinner playing for the Penguins in an Oilers mask... 😭😵‍💫 pic.twitter.com/xsz5J6c0xK
— Gino Hard (@GinoHard_) December 17, 2025

Even in the middle of a high-stakes game, the human side of hockey is hard to ignore. McDavid’s words emphasized how much relationships and shared experiences matter, especially when longtime teammates and friends are suddenly opponents.

“I always advocate for the human side of it. The storylines were endless for the media and fans tonight — you could write about anything. But at the end of the day, we’re people. It’s emotional. Stu’s got a young family, Koulie’s got a young family moving across the continent, Jar’s the same. They build relationships. I’m sure it was an emotional night for all three of them, and I’m sure they’re glad it’s over,” McDavid explained.

That awareness of the human element shaped how he approached the night — not distracted, but conscious of the shared history unfolding on both benches. Hockey may be about points and goals, but nights like this reveal the deeper bonds and challenges that players navigate beyond the scoreboard.

It was a rare glimpse behind the curtain. Hockey rarely pauses to acknowledge the families uprooted, the routines disrupted, or the emotional toll hidden beneath routine answers.

Some games you remember for the score. Others stick with you because of everything surrounding it. This one was unmistakably the latter.

Make sure you bookmark Breakaway On SI for the latest news, exclusive interviews, recruiting coverage, and more!