The Oilers captain was asked about the upcoming matchup and he was honest in his answers. He showed a lot for respect for MacKinnon, recognizing his talent level, as well as the overall skill Colorado's core has. To him, this is a challenge and he looks forward to the opportunity.
After all, the Oilers could very well play the Avalanche in the playoffs this season. As such, it makes sense that McDavid and the rest of the Oilers would look forward to an opportunity to test themselves in the relatively low-stakes environment of a regular season game.
The Oilers captain was recently heard talking to Zach Hyman about Mackinnon in the middle of a game. The Oilers captain was mic-ed up for the game so we caught his side of the conversation. It seemed like he was discussing strategy for routes on the rush, referencing a particular play MacKinnon likes to do.
The Avalanche currently hold the top spot in the Central division, as they hold onto a very slim lead over the Dallas Stars and Winnipeg Jets. The Oilers, on the other hand, are 2nd in the Pacific division, 9 points behind the Canucks with three games in hand. Unfortunately for the Oilers, they have just one game remaining against Vancouver so they will need some help to get that top spot.