The best goal of the 2024-25 season for the Edmonton Oilers was a historic one.
Entering the 2024-25 season, Oilers’ captain Connor McDavid had 335 goals and 982 points in 645 games. It was well known that McDavid had a chance to become the fourth-fastest and fourth-youngest player to reach 1,000 points.
After the Oilers were shut out in the season opener, McDavid went on a six-game point streak, picking up three goals and eight points to bring him to 990 points. After being held pointless in a 4-0 win, McDavid picked up two points on Oct. 27, but was injured in the following game.
Missing three games and just eight points away from 1,000, McDavid was held pointless in his first game back, but picked up a goal and three points in a 7-3 win against the Vancouver Canucks. In his next game, McDavid scored a goal and four points, bringing him to within one point of 1,000. In the following game, on Nov. 14, McDavid reached 1,000 points with a goal.
Darnell Nurse intercepted a dump-in and found Leon Draisaitl streaking up the wing for a two-on-one with McDavid because of a bad line change. Everyone, including the Nashville Predators’ defenceman, knew the puck was going to McDavid. Sliding the puck under the defenceman’s stick, Draisaitl got the puck to McDavid, who one-timed it into the back of the net for his 1,000th point of the season.
McDavid added an assist in that game to reach 19 points on the season. He then added another 81 points to finish with 26 goals and 100 points in just 67 games, the eighth time in his career he’s reached the century mark.
While this goal didn’t have the flair of his goals against the New York Rangers or Utah Hockey Club, or Evan Bouchard’s goal against the Ottawa Senators, this one had importance. There is only a finite number of games in a season where a player reaches 1,000 points if they’re even able to. We Oiler fans were lucky to witness it, and there’s a good chance Leon Draisaitl reaches the mark next season as he’s just 44 points away.
Ryley Delaney is a Nation Network writer for Oilersnation, FlamesNation, and Blue Jays Nation. Follow her on Twitter @Ryley__Delaney.
