![]() The last player to pick up 100 assists was former Edmonton Oiler Wayne Gretzky in 1990-91. Can Connor McDavid become the latest to hit the feat despite a goal-scoring drought?
What is more impressive: scoring 70 goals or registering 100 assists?
It is a question that could end up deciding who wins the Hart Trophy this year. On one side, you have Toronto Maple Leafs centre Auston Matthews, who is trying to become the first player in more than 30 goals to score 70 goals. At the other end of the spectrum is Edmonton's Connor McDavid, who is trying to become only the fourth player in NHL history to pick up 100 assists. Both would be impressive feats. And yet, what McDavid is doing is extra special when you consider how he has gone from goal-scorer to playmaker. A year ago, the Oilers captain won the Rocket Richard Trophy after leading the NHL with 64 goals. This year, he only has 21 goals in 53 games — a pace that would result in one of his lowest goal totals since entering the league. But he also recorded 89 assists last season, the most since Joe Thornton's 92 in 2006-07. Heading into Monday's game against Los Angeles, he leads the league with 68 assists. At his current pace, McDavid would finish the season with 101 assists — the most since Wayne Gretzky had 122 assists in 1990-91. "I've decided I'm just going to see how many assists I can get," McDavid jokingly told reporters on Monday. "That's the focus, I'm not going to shoot the puck anymore." It's not exactly that far from the truth. While McDavid is still averaging 3.3 shots per game (his career average is 3.4 shots per game), since returning from the all-star break, he has just one goal in 10 games. Of course, he has 21 assists during that span — including a six point outburst against the Red Wings. "I want to help this team any way I can, and scoring goals is part of that," McDavid told reporters. "I've gone through stretches where I haven't scored and still been productive." McDavid's supposed selflessness has appeared to help Zach Hyman, who has already scored a career-best 37 goals — one up from the 36 he scored a year ago. "I wouldn't have this year without him," said Hyman, who ranks fourth in the Rocket Richard Trophy race. "I think he makes his read every time he's out there, whether it's shooting or passing. He's not trying to set records for himself, he's just trying to win hockey games."
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