It is no surprise that Connor McDavid is really having yet another MVP season for the Edmonton Oilers, but it cannot be denied that the team is also struggling to come up with some impressive strides that are expected of them – with fans and critics getting really worried about the way their performances have led to just tough losses.

The Oilers are now 3-2 in its last five games prior to today’s clash with the Montreal Canadiens. That isn’t much of a bad vibe, but looking at the context, the Oilers are now falling behind in the race to the top of the Western Conference – in a year where they are expected to build off from their impressive Stanley Cup Final run. At this point, it is already an alarming pace for the Oilers, and Edmonton fans can’t even be more worried for its chances this year.

It is hard to argue that the Edmonton Oilers are really trying to find a way to the top, but with the Western Conference starting to be a tougher side of the NHL, it seems that a late comeback into the season will definitely hamper their chances of returning to the playoffs. Considering how they are a favorite to win the Stanley Cup Final this season, it does seem that the team’s hopes rest upon how they can turn their season around.

An Unfortunate Loss to Toronto

The Oilers are one of the best teams in the league, and for good reason. The team certainly returned home with its fans expecting them to continue riding on an impressive winning streak in their games. So far, it has been quite a disappointment with the Oilers losing 4-3 in overtime, and the fact that it is nationally televised just puts more into perspective at how Edmonton is really on a losing stride.

In that loss, McDavid played well and nearly had a career night had it not been for the loss. It was the first and only visit by the Oilers to Toronto this season. At the age of 27, McDavid has now tallied a total of 18 points (four goals, 14 assists) in 11 career games at Scotiabank Arena including eight (two goals, six assists) in his past three appearances.

What could have been a promising run for the Oilers ended up in a disappointing loss instead. It cannot be denied that the MVP stocks for McDavid remains at large, but now the likes of Nathan MacKinnon (+375), Kirill Kaprizov (+350), and Nikita Kucherov (+360) are now ahead of him in the MVP race, which says a lot about the impact their losses has seen overall.

A Tough Look for the Oilers

Edmonton gave up a total of nine goals in the last three games, with five of those coming in the back half of the third period and even another in overtime. That is a whopping total of 5:05 of ice time where the team has now given up losing points in its stretch, which says a lot about their deteriorating offensive scheme.

Offense has been not much of a worry for the Oilers with McDavid and Leon Draisaitl putting up impressive performances of their own – but it is the massive defensive mistakes that have really hurt their chances so far. And this just puts things into perspective for the Oilers as they seek to go for more impressive wins down the stretch – while trying to navigate their path on the wild West.

At this point, it is safe to say that Connor McDavid’s MVP season will surely depend on how the Oilers can find their way to the top once more. For now, they need to address their struggles if they are going to contend once more.