<p>The Edmonton Oilers’ record now sits at 18-10-2, and they’re riding a five-game winning streak after going a perfect 3-0 last week, defeating the Tampa Bay Lightning, Minnesota Wild, and Vegas Golden Knights, impressively outscoring their opponents 15-5 in the process. Equally impressive is that during this festive stretch in December, the Oilers&#8217; DJ at Rogers Place, Tyler Boessenkool, has likely played &#8216;La Bamba&#8217; more times than Mariah Carey’s &#8216;All I Want for Christmas Is You.&#8217; It&#8217;s an incredible feat, especially with the holidays just around the corner, but it shows how hot the Oilers are right now.</p>
<p>On that note, below we present the Oilers’ Three Stars of the Week and we give an honourable mention to the Oilers captain who took part in an off-ice event supporting the Ben Stelter Foundation.</p>
<h2>Oilers’ 3rd Star: Connor Brown</h2>
<p><strong>Last Week’s Stats – 3 GP – 2 G – 2 A – 4 Pts<br />
Season Stats – 30GP – 5 G – 7 A – 12 Pts</strong></p>
<p>Connor Brown earns the number three spot on the Oilers&#8217; Three Stars of the Week after recording four points in three games. The Oilers forward has surpassed his goal total from last season with his latest fifth tally, and he’s playing his best hockey of the year and has played a big part in the Oilers&#8217; successful penalty kill as of late.</p>
<p>Much like late last season and in the playoffs, he&#8217;s emerging as a threat to score on the PK again, teaming up with his shorthanded ‘ride or die’ Mattias Janmark in their &#8216;Brownmark&#8217; alter egos to create shorthanded scoring chances. In the second period against the Wild on Dec. 12, Janmark made a bold between-the-legs pass to Brown in the Oilers’ slot instead of clearing the puck, setting up a shorthanded rush with Ty Emberson.</p>
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-width="550" data-dnt="true">
<p lang="en" dir="ltr">EDM MIN G29. December 12, 2024. Connor Brown goal. 3-1 EDM. 🎥: Sportsnet <a href="https://t.co/TUPnCBaAjR">pic.twitter.com/TUPnCBaAjR</a></p>
<p>&mdash; Nation Network Media (@NationNMedia) <a href="https://twitter.com/NationNMedia/status/1867400306658881906?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">December 13, 2024</a></p></blockquote>
<p><script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></p>
<p>Brown received the pass, going backhand to forehand <a href="https://oilersnation.com/news/leon-draisaitl-went-full-warlord-mode-calvin-pickard-was-rock-solid-and-the-oilers-found-a-gem-in-kasperi-kapanen">before roofing it over Filip Gustavsson</a>, scoring a beautiful goal, and he later added an assist to make it 7-1. In the game against Vegas on Dec. 14, Brown started a 2-on-1 with Leon Draisaitl and buried the rebound for his second goal in as many games. On top of that, by the looks of their social media accounts, the Oilers awarded him the Player of the game belt afterward.</p>
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-width="550" data-dnt="true">
<p lang="en" dir="ltr">GoodKnight, Oil Country 💪🏻👷🏻 <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/LetsGoOilers?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#LetsGoOilers</a> <a href="https://t.co/Zax7nrevFO">pic.twitter.com/Zax7nrevFO</a></p>
<p>&mdash; Edmonton Oilers (@EdmontonOilers) <a href="https://twitter.com/EdmontonOilers/status/1868113668195643795?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">December 15, 2024</a></p></blockquote>
<p><script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></p>
<p>The 30-year-old has bounced around from the second to the third line and now finds himself on the fourth line—without a hint of complaint and has started to put up the points. Moreover, he’s starting to look like the Brown we saw in the playoffs—the confident one who<a href="https://oilersnation.com/news/edmonton-oilers-top-10-highlight-reel-goals-from-the-2024-playoff-run"> stripped the puck on the PK in the Stanley Cup Final</a> and beat Sergei Bobrovsky with patience and a backhand deke. That said, the Oilers’ best players are playing at their best, and now their depth players are rolling, too. If you think the Oilers are a wagon now, with everyone pitching in, it seems like the wagon is about to transform into a supercharged chariot.</p>
<h2>Oilers’ 2nd Star: Darnell Nurse</h2>
<p><strong>Last Week’s Stats – 3 GP – G – 4 A – 4 Pts<br />
Season Stats – 27 GP – 3 G – 12 A – 15 Pts</strong></p>
<p>Oilers defenceman Darnell Nurse takes the number two spot on the Oilers’ Three Stars of the Week after recording four assists in three games. He also played a role in two more goals against the Lightning, though he didn’t get credited with the assists. Moreover, he logged a ton of minutes, averaging 23:02 of ice time and finished the week with a +4 plus/minus.</p>
<p>Against the Lightning, Nurse played 23:15, recorded four blocks three shots, and drew a penalty. While Draisaitl and Brett Kulak earned assists <a href="https://oilersnation.com/news/instant-reaction-oilers-avoid-late-scare-and-beat-lightning-2-1">on Connor McDavid’s breakaway goal</a> late in the first, Nurse set the play in motion with smart work behind the Oilers’ net, evading a Lightning forechecker and calmly passing to Kulak to start the sequence.</p>
<p>Later in the second period, Nurse gathered the puck in his end and zipped a pass to Draisaitl with a touch of Chris Pronger-esque calmness and accuracy to it. The Oilers&#8217; centerman scored on the play, but due to the flukiness of it, bouncing off a Lightning player, Nurse didn’t get the assist. However, without Nurse&#8217;s crisp pass, the goal would&#8217;ve never happened.</p>
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-width="550" data-dnt="true">
<p lang="en" dir="ltr">Nurse not forcing a pass up ice, and turning back kept possession and then Oilers breakout and Draisaitl finds McDavid speeding through the middle, he splits the D and beat Vasilevskiy for 1-0 lead. Nurse making so many more good decisions with puck since November 1st.</p>
<p>&mdash; Jason Gregor (@JasonGregor) <a href="https://twitter.com/JasonGregor/status/1866674879438918010?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">December 11, 2024</a></p></blockquote>
<p><script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></p>
<p>Against the Wild, <a href="https://oilersnation.com/news/darnell-nurse-reaches-200-career-assists-in-win-over-the-minnesota-wild">Nurse recorded his 200th career assist</a> with an assist on Troy Stecher’s goal and earned another helper when his slapshot was redirected into the net on Derek Ryan’s first tally of the season. Two days later, against Vegas, Nurse picked up two assists, including one in the second period where he looked like a silky playmaker, dragging the puck and delivering a backhand pass to Draisaitl for an easy finish.</p>
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-width="550" data-dnt="true">
<p lang="en" dir="ltr">the oilers are toying with the golden knights as leon draisaitl makes it 4-0. <a href="https://t.co/dJp4p04Bce">pic.twitter.com/dJp4p04Bce</a></p>
<p>&mdash; zach (@zjlaing) <a href="https://twitter.com/zjlaing/status/1868060130086166779?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">December 14, 2024</a></p></blockquote>
<p><script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></p>
<p>For someone who’s been thrown shade the last few years, it’s great to see Nurse playing so well, <a href="https://oilersnation.com/news/the-redeployment-of-darnell-nurse-is-leading-to-some-of-his-best-hockey-for-the-oilers">as he’s playing the best hockey</a> that I can remember. His vision on the ice is on point, he&#8217;s not forcing unnecessary plays, making great passes, and showing excellent attention to detail on the defensive side, like keeping his head on a swivel and having an active stick. Only the player knows the exact cause of this uptick in play, but perhaps observing from the press box during his three-game injury absence gave him a new perspective on the game. Having only missed one game over the past two seasons, this rare bird&#8217;s-eye view might have allowed him to view gameplay in a way he hadn’t before.</p>
<h2>Oilers’ 1st Star: Leon Draisaitl</h2>
<p><strong>Last Week’s Stats – 3 GP – 3 G – 6 A – 9 Pts<br />
Season Stats – 30 GP – 22G – 23 A – 45 Pts</strong></p>
<p>While there’s been chatter about Oilers like <a href="https://oilersnation.com/news/zach-hyman-evan-bouchard-and-stuart-skinner-left-off-canadas-4-nations-face-off-roster">Zach Hyman</a> and Evan Bouchard using their Team Canada snubs as fuel for their strong play, maybe Draisaitl is tapping into that same drive—with his home country being left out of the entire Four Nations tournament. Last week, though, he switched into ‘Be the Best Player in the World’ mode and undoubtedly secured the top spot on the Oilers’ Three Stars of the Week, producing nine points in three games.</p>
<p>Touching on some of his bright spots last week against Tampa Bay, along with an astute pass to spring McDavid for a breakaway goal, Draisaitl was credited with the winner on a rather flukey tally—Andrei Vasilevskiy made a pad save, paddled it away, and it bounced in off a player and in. Yet, that goal marked his 20th of the season, making him the first in the NHL to hit that milestone and in the process, he tied Wayne Gretzky for third on the Oilers’ list for <a href="https://x.com/SNstats/status/1866687483641205175">most consecutive 20-goal seasons</a> with nine, trailing only Mark Messier and Jari Kurri, both with 10.</p>
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-width="550" data-dnt="true">
<p lang="tr" dir="ltr">EDM MIN G29. December 12, 2024. Kasperi Kapanen goal. 2-0 EDM. 🎥: Sportsnet <a href="https://t.co/4E36SAZ98P">pic.twitter.com/4E36SAZ98P</a></p>
<p>&mdash; Nation Network Media (@NationNMedia) <a href="https://twitter.com/NationNMedia/status/1867395752349380682?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">December 13, 2024</a></p></blockquote>
<p><script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></p>
<p>He was <a href="https://oilersnation.com/news/the-day-after-29-0-oilers-get-the-job-done-in-minnesota-for-the-first-time-in-over-five-years">outright dominant against the Wild</a> a couple of nights later, posting a four-point night. However, his most impressive play came on the Oilers’ second goal, where he got his legs moving, protected the puck while skating around the Wild zone, and completely toyed with Marcus Johansson, who was trying to defend him, before dropping a pass to <a href="https://oilersnation.com/news/5-interesting-facts-about-oilers-new-addition-kasperi-kapanen">Kasperi Kapanen</a>, who buried it.</p>
<p>Against the Golden Knights, he scored a goal and added two assists. That said, on Brown’s tally, where they broke in on a 2-on-1, it was like watching an artist execute their masterful vision at high speed—he perfectly shot the puck off Adin Hill&#8217;s pad, allowing Brown to capitalize on the rebound.</p>
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-width="550" data-dnt="true">
<p lang="nl" dir="ltr">EDM VGK G30. December 14, 2024. Connor Brown goal. 3-0 EDM. 🎥: Sportsnet <a href="https://t.co/EcoRUq2Ym4">pic.twitter.com/EcoRUq2Ym4</a></p>
<p>&mdash; Nation Network Media (@NationNMedia) <a href="https://twitter.com/NationNMedia/status/1868057599264121031?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">December 14, 2024</a></p></blockquote>
<p><script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></p>
<p>To say that Draisaitl is on fire right now is an understatement— he&#8217;s climbed into the top five in league scoring <a href="https://oilersnation.com/news/a-look-at-leon-draisaitls-path-to-being-the-first-70-goal-scorer-in-over-two-decades">and is currently first in goals</a>. While players like Nathan MacKinnon, Nikita Kucherov, and, of course, McDavid are often the first names first mentioned in conversations about the league&#8217;s best, Draisaitl is reminding everyone just how dominant he can be, and he’s not letting anyone forget his place in the mix of the elites.</p>
<h2>Honourable Mention: Connor McDavid</h2>
<p><strong>Last Week’s Stats – 3 GP – 1 G – 3 A – 4 Pts<br />
Season Stats – 27 GP – 14 G – 27 A – 41 Pts</strong></p>
<p>Oilers captain Connor McDavid put up a rather human-like four points in three games, but it included his usual superhuman-like moves to make the highlight reels, including a wonderful breakaway goal against Tampa Bay.</p>
<p>However, he earns an honourable mention this week not only for his on-ice performance but also for his off-ice efforts. Recently, the Ben Stelter Foundation held its annual <a href="https://oilersnation.com/news/ben-stelter-foundation-reportedly-raises-more-than-10000-in-donations-from-dallas">Ben Stelter School Fundraiser</a>, where schools raised money to earn ballots for prizes, including a visit from McDavid.</p>
<figure id="attachment_166157" aria-describedby="caption-attachment-166157" style="width: 1000px" class="wp-caption alignnone"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" class="size-large wp-image-166157" src="http://publish.oilersnation.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/12/DSC0551-Enhanced-NR-1000x1024.jpg" alt="" width="1000" height="1024" srcset="https://publish.oilersnation.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/12/DSC0551-Enhanced-NR-1000x1024.jpg 1000w, https://publish.oilersnation.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/12/DSC0551-Enhanced-NR-293x300.jpg 293w, https://publish.oilersnation.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/12/DSC0551-Enhanced-NR-768x787.jpg 768w, https://publish.oilersnation.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/12/DSC0551-Enhanced-NR-1499x1536.jpg 1499w, https://publish.oilersnation.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/12/DSC0551-Enhanced-NR-1999x2048.jpg 1999w" sizes="(max-width: 1000px) 100vw, 1000px" /><figcaption id="caption-attachment-166157" class="wp-caption-text">Connor McDavid&#8217;s visit to Ottewell School &#8211; Darcy Semeniuk @dsemeniukphotography</figcaption></figure>
<p>My sister was the teacher who led the fundraiser at her school, Ottewell School, which won the McDavid visit, and I helped cover it. The event took place on Dec. 13 and looking back, the Oilers played late in Minnesota the night before, flew back, likely arrived in Edmonton late, and while McDavid was likely very tired, he still made it to the event. Not only did he show up, but he was so down-to-earth and compassionate in his interactions with all the students, who were ecstatic to see their hero, you can read the recap of the day <a href="https://oilersnation.com/news/oilers-connor-mcdavid-brings-smiles-to-ottewell-school-after-winning-the-ben-stelter-school-fundraiser">here</a>.</p>
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-width="550" data-dnt="true">
<p lang="en" dir="ltr">Connor McDavid made an appearance at Ottewell School after they won this year’s Ben Stelter School Fundraiser. </p>
<p>My sister, a teacher at the school, spearheaded the project, and I’ll be writing about the experience over at <a href="https://t.co/TUO9Jev6JL">https://t.co/TUO9Jev6JL</a>. <a href="https://t.co/hqOcknjDA9">pic.twitter.com/hqOcknjDA9</a></p>
<p>&mdash; seanpangs (@seanpangs) <a href="https://twitter.com/seanpangs/status/1867700954868724172?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">December 13, 2024</a></p></blockquote>
<p><script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></p>
<p>The day was amazing, and it was all for a great cause—the Ben Stelter Foundation. That said, I gained even more appreciation for the Oilers captain after seeing how incredible he was with everyone involved. To put it into perspective, McDavid is the best player in the world, playing, in my opinion, the best sport in the world, and he doesn’t <em>have</em> to go out of his way to attend these charitable events. But he does and treats everyone with kindness and respect. As a whole, we’re truly fortunate to have him here in Edmonton as captain of the Oilers and as an ambassador for the sport we all love.</p>
<h2><strong>PRESENTED BY STAR MECHANICAL</strong></h2>
<p><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" class="aligncenter size-full wp-image-146181" src="http://publish.oilersnation.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/02/Article-2-SME.png" alt="" width="728" height="404" srcset="https://publish.oilersnation.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/02/Article-2-SME.png 728w, https://publish.oilersnation.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/02/Article-2-SME-300x166.png 300w" sizes="(max-width: 728px) 100vw, 728px" /></p>
<p>Star Mechanical is one of Edmonton’s biggest locally owned and operated plumbing and heating businesses. They have been working within the community for over 20 years, and many of the homes built in Edmonton over the last two decades have had their plumbing and heating systems installed by Star Mechanical.  Visit them at <a href="http://starmechanical.ca/" target="_blank" rel="noopener" data-saferedirecturl="https://www.google.com/url?q=http://starmechanical.ca&amp;source=gmail&amp;ust=1707492487512000&amp;usg=AOvVaw2mVs3WUkp8iUCZ0kJRe9lJ">starmechanical.ca</a> to schedule an appointment and let them help keep your home running smoothly.</p>


Edmonton Oilers Leon Draisaitl celebrates goal

The Edmonton Oilers’ record now sits at 18-10-2, and they’re riding a five-game winning streak after going a perfect 3-0 last week, defeating the Tampa Bay Lightning, Minnesota Wild, and Vegas Golden Knights, impressively outscoring their opponents 15-5 in the process. Equally impressive is that during this festive stretch in December, the Oilers' DJ at Rogers Place, Tyler Boessenkool, has likely played 'La Bamba' more times than Mariah Carey’s 'All I Want for Christmas Is You.' It's an incredible feat, especially with the holidays just around the corner, but it shows how hot the Oilers are right now.

On that note, below we present the Oilers’ Three Stars of the Week and we give an honourable mention to the Oilers captain who took part in an off-ice event supporting the Ben Stelter Foundation.
<h2>Oilers’ 3rd Star: Connor Brown</h2>
<strong>Last Week’s Stats – 3 GP – 2 G – 2 A – 4 Pts
Season Stats – 30GP – 5 G – 7 A – 12 Pts</strong>

Connor Brown earns the number three spot on the Oilers' Three Stars of the Week after recording four points in three games. The Oilers forward has surpassed his goal total from last season with his latest fifth tally, and he’s playing his best hockey of the year and has played a big part in the Oilers' successful penalty kill as of late.

Much like late last season and in the playoffs, he's emerging as a threat to score on the PK again, teaming up with his shorthanded ‘ride or die’ Mattias Janmark in their 'Brownmark' alter egos to create shorthanded scoring chances. In the second period against the Wild on Dec. 12, Janmark made a bold between-the-legs pass to Brown in the Oilers’ slot instead of clearing the puck, setting up a shorthanded rush with Ty Emberson.

https://twitter.com/NationNMedia/status/1867400306658881906

Brown received the pass, going backhand to forehand <a href="https://oilersnation.com/news/leon-draisaitl-went-full-warlord-mode-calvin-pickard-was-rock-solid-and-the-oilers-found-a-gem-in-kasperi-kapanen">before roofing it over Filip Gustavsson</a>, scoring a beautiful goal, and he later added an assist to make it 7-1. In the game against Vegas on Dec. 14, Brown started a 2-on-1 with Leon Draisaitl and buried the rebound for his second goal in as many games. On top of that, by the looks of their social media accounts, the Oilers awarded him the Player of the game belt afterward.

https://twitter.com/EdmontonOilers/status/1868113668195643795

The 30-year-old has bounced around from the second to the third line and now finds himself on the fourth line—without a hint of complaint and has started to put up the points. Moreover, he’s starting to look like the Brown we saw in the playoffs—the confident one who<a href="https://oilersnation.com/news/edmonton-oilers-top-10-highlight-reel-goals-from-the-2024-playoff-run"> stripped the puck on the PK in the Stanley Cup Final</a> and beat Sergei Bobrovsky with patience and a backhand deke. That said, the Oilers’ best players are playing at their best, and now their depth players are rolling, too. If you think the Oilers are a wagon now, with everyone pitching in, it seems like the wagon is about to transform into a supercharged chariot.
<h2>Oilers’ 2nd Star: Darnell Nurse</h2>
<strong>Last Week’s Stats – 3 GP – G – 4 A – 4 Pts
Season Stats – 27 GP – 3 G – 12 A – 15 Pts</strong>

Oilers defenceman Darnell Nurse takes the number two spot on the Oilers’ Three Stars of the Week after recording four assists in three games. He also played a role in two more goals against the Lightning, though he didn’t get credited with the assists. Moreover, he logged a ton of minutes, averaging 23:02 of ice time and finished the week with a +4 plus/minus.

Against the Lightning, Nurse played 23:15, recorded four blocks three shots, and drew a penalty. While Draisaitl and Brett Kulak earned assists <a href="https://oilersnation.com/news/instant-reaction-oilers-avoid-late-scare-and-beat-lightning-2-1">on Connor McDavid’s breakaway goal</a> late in the first, Nurse set the play in motion with smart work behind the Oilers’ net, evading a Lightning forechecker and calmly passing to Kulak to start the sequence.

Later in the second period, Nurse gathered the puck in his end and zipped a pass to Draisaitl with a touch of Chris Pronger-esque calmness and accuracy to it. The Oilers' centerman scored on the play, but due to the flukiness of it, bouncing off a Lightning player, Nurse didn’t get the assist. However, without Nurse's crisp pass, the goal would've never happened.

https://twitter.com/JasonGregor/status/1866674879438918010

Against the Wild, <a href="https://oilersnation.com/news/darnell-nurse-reaches-200-career-assists-in-win-over-the-minnesota-wild">Nurse recorded his 200th career assist</a> with an assist on Troy Stecher’s goal and earned another helper when his slapshot was redirected into the net on Derek Ryan’s first tally of the season. Two days later, against Vegas, Nurse picked up two assists, including one in the second period where he looked like a silky playmaker, dragging the puck and delivering a backhand pass to Draisaitl for an easy finish.

https://twitter.com/zjlaing/status/1868060130086166779

For someone who’s been thrown shade the last few years, it’s great to see Nurse playing so well, <a href="https://oilersnation.com/news/the-redeployment-of-darnell-nurse-is-leading-to-some-of-his-best-hockey-for-the-oilers">as he’s playing the best hockey</a> that I can remember. His vision on the ice is on point, he's not forcing unnecessary plays, making great passes, and showing excellent attention to detail on the defensive side, like keeping his head on a swivel and having an active stick. Only the player knows the exact cause of this uptick in play, but perhaps observing from the press box during his three-game injury absence gave him a new perspective on the game. Having only missed one game over the past two seasons, this rare bird's-eye view might have allowed him to view gameplay in a way he hadn’t before.
<h2>Oilers’ 1st Star: Leon Draisaitl</h2>
<strong>Last Week’s Stats – 3 GP – 3 G – 6 A – 9 Pts
Season Stats – 30 GP – 22G – 23 A – 45 Pts</strong>

While there’s been chatter about Oilers like <a href="https://oilersnation.com/news/zach-hyman-evan-bouchard-and-stuart-skinner-left-off-canadas-4-nations-face-off-roster">Zach Hyman</a> and Evan Bouchard using their Team Canada snubs as fuel for their strong play, maybe Draisaitl is tapping into that same drive—with his home country being left out of the entire Four Nations tournament. Last week, though, he switched into ‘Be the Best Player in the World’ mode and undoubtedly secured the top spot on the Oilers’ Three Stars of the Week, producing nine points in three games.

Touching on some of his bright spots last week against Tampa Bay, along with an astute pass to spring McDavid for a breakaway goal, Draisaitl was credited with the winner on a rather flukey tally—Andrei Vasilevskiy made a pad save, paddled it away, and it bounced in off a player and in. Yet, that goal marked his 20th of the season, making him the first in the NHL to hit that milestone and in the process, he tied Wayne Gretzky for third on the Oilers’ list for <a href="https://x.com/SNstats/status/1866687483641205175">most consecutive 20-goal seasons</a> with nine, trailing only Mark Messier and Jari Kurri, both with 10.

https://twitter.com/NationNMedia/status/1867395752349380682

He was <a href="https://oilersnation.com/news/the-day-after-29-0-oilers-get-the-job-done-in-minnesota-for-the-first-time-in-over-five-years">outright dominant against the Wild</a> a couple of nights later, posting a four-point night. However, his most impressive play came on the Oilers’ second goal, where he got his legs moving, protected the puck while skating around the Wild zone, and completely toyed with Marcus Johansson, who was trying to defend him, before dropping a pass to <a href="https://oilersnation.com/news/5-interesting-facts-about-oilers-new-addition-kasperi-kapanen">Kasperi Kapanen</a>, who buried it.

Against the Golden Knights, he scored a goal and added two assists. That said, on Brown’s tally, where they broke in on a 2-on-1, it was like watching an artist execute their masterful vision at high speed—he perfectly shot the puck off Adin Hill's pad, allowing Brown to capitalize on the rebound.

https://twitter.com/NationNMedia/status/1868057599264121031

To say that Draisaitl is on fire right now is an understatement— he's climbed into the top five in league scoring <a href="https://oilersnation.com/news/a-look-at-leon-draisaitls-path-to-being-the-first-70-goal-scorer-in-over-two-decades">and is currently first in goals</a>. While players like Nathan MacKinnon, Nikita Kucherov, and, of course, McDavid are often the first names first mentioned in conversations about the league's best, Draisaitl is reminding everyone just how dominant he can be, and he’s not letting anyone forget his place in the mix of the elites.
<h2>Honourable Mention: Connor McDavid</h2>
<strong>Last Week’s Stats – 3 GP – 1 G – 3 A – 4 Pts
Season Stats – 27 GP – 14 G – 27 A – 41 Pts</strong>

Oilers captain Connor McDavid put up a rather human-like four points in three games, but it included his usual superhuman-like moves to make the highlight reels, including a wonderful breakaway goal against Tampa Bay.

However, he earns an honourable mention this week not only for his on-ice performance but also for his off-ice efforts. Recently, the Ben Stelter Foundation held its annual <a href="https://oilersnation.com/news/ben-stelter-foundation-reportedly-raises-more-than-10000-in-donations-from-dallas">Ben Stelter School Fundraiser</a>, where schools raised money to earn ballots for prizes, including a visit from McDavid.

[caption id="attachment_166157" align="alignnone" width="1000"]<img class="size-large wp-image-166157" src="http://publish.oilersnation.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/12/DSC0551-Enhanced-NR-1000x1024.jpg" alt="" width="1000" height="1024" /> Connor McDavid's visit to Ottewell School - Darcy Semeniuk @dsemeniukphotography[/caption]

My sister was the teacher who led the fundraiser at her school, Ottewell School, which won the McDavid visit, and I helped cover it. The event took place on Dec. 13 and looking back, the Oilers played late in Minnesota the night before, flew back, likely arrived in Edmonton late, and while McDavid was likely very tired, he still made it to the event. Not only did he show up, but he was so down-to-earth and compassionate in his interactions with all the students, who were ecstatic to see their hero, you can read the recap of the day <a href="https://oilersnation.com/news/oilers-connor-mcdavid-brings-smiles-to-ottewell-school-after-winning-the-ben-stelter-school-fundraiser">here</a>.

https://twitter.com/seanpangs/status/1867700954868724172

The day was amazing, and it was all for a great cause—the Ben Stelter Foundation. That said, I gained even more appreciation for the Oilers captain after seeing how incredible he was with everyone involved. To put it into perspective, McDavid is the best player in the world, playing, in my opinion, the best sport in the world, and he doesn’t <em>have</em> to go out of his way to attend these charitable events. But he does and treats everyone with kindness and respect. As a whole, we’re truly fortunate to have him here in Edmonton as captain of the Oilers and as an ambassador for the sport we all love.
<h2><strong>PRESENTED BY STAR MECHANICAL</strong></h2>
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