Connor McDavid came tantalizingly close to recording his 1,000th NHL point on his very first shift against the Nashville Predators at Rogers Place on Thursday.
In an early scramble, the Edmonton Oilers captain nearly tucked the puck in from behind the goal line. With his father, Brian, watching from the stands, McDavid was determined to reach the milestone on home ice.
He achieved it in spectacular fashion at 2:44 of the second period, finishing a one-timer off a pass from Leon Draisaitl during a 2-on-1 rush.
The goal etched McDavid’s name in the record books as the 99th player in NHL history to reach 1,000 points and the fourth-fastest to do so, accomplishing the feat in just 659 games (341 goals, 660 assists).
Only legends Wayne Gretzky (424 games), Mario Lemieux (513), and Mike Bossy (656) reached the mark faster.
“Just seeing the way the players reacted, that means everything to me,” McDavid said. “Obviously, my teammates were happy, and to hear the fans—those moments mean more than the numbers. It was a really special moment, honestly.
These milestones are a great time to reflect and look back. It’s been a great 10 years, and hopefully, there are 10 more good ones.”
Usually the playmaker on a 2-on-1, McDavid instead took the shot, lost his balance, and slid backward into the corner.
There, his teammates mobbed him as the Oilers flooded off the bench in celebration. Defenseman Mattias Ekholm collected the puck on his way to the celebration and handed it to Draisaitl, who, along with Darnell Nurse, assisted on the historic goal.
The moment was particularly fitting, as the three players have shared a decade of battles together.
“If there could have been a third assist, you’d want [Ryan Nugent-Hopkins] in there too,” Draisaitl said.
“All three of us—Connor, Darnell, and I—came into the league together, year after year, three years in a row. We’ve been through so much, on and off the ice, and built lifelong friendships. It’s a great story.”
As the celebratory pile began to break up, McDavid, Nurse, and Draisaitl lingered in an embrace, savoring the moment. Draisaitl then handed the milestone puck to McDavid as they skated back to the bench together.
The bond between the three players has been instrumental in McDavid’s journey to 1,000 points. Over the years, McDavid and Draisaitl have factored in on the same goal 445 times, while Nurse has been involved in 103 of McDavid’s scoring plays.
“That means everything,” McDavid said. “These are the guys you go to battle with, through the highs and lows, and you build a brotherhood. They’ve been there through it all, and they mean so much to me.”
Fittingly, the trio combined again at 2:33 of overtime when Nurse converted a dazzling behind-the-back feed from McDavid—career point No. 1,001—to secure a 3-2 victory for Edmonton.
Reaching the milestone would not have been as meaningful had the Oilers failed to win after conceding a late tying goal in regulation.
“The three of us started as kids, and now we’re 10 years in,” Nurse said. “You go through everything together—the highs, the lows, and moments like this.
Milestones like this feel like a shared accomplishment. I’m so happy for Connor. He deserves to celebrate all the work he’s put in.”
The 1,000-point milestone is the latest accolade in McDavid’s remarkable NHL career.
He has already won the Art Ross Trophy as the league’s leading scorer five times (2017, 2018, 2021, 2022, 2023), the Ted Lindsay Award for the NHL’s most outstanding player four times (2017, 2018, 2021, 2023), the Hart Trophy as the league MVP three times (2017, 2021, 2023), and the Maurice “Rocket” Richard Trophy for most goals in a season once (2023).
Yet, McDavid’s ultimate goal of winning the Stanley Cup remains elusive. “Some of these moments have hit me more emotionally than I expected,” McDavid admitted.
“You grow up loving hockey, dreaming of the NHL, and now, 1,000 points later, I’ve been doing it for 10 years. It’s pretty special. These milestones remind you to stop and be grateful.”
After the game, the Oilers celebrated in the dressing room with custom T-shirts featuring a childhood photo of McDavid in glasses and the caption: “This guy’s got 1,000 NHL Pts??” The design was spearheaded by Draisaitl and the team’s equipment manager.
Considering McDavid reached 1,000 points faster than NHL greats like Peter Stastny (682 games), Jari Kurri (716), and Steve Yzerman (737), speculation has already begun about whether he could join Gretzky as the only players in history to surpass 2,000 points.
“If not him, then who?” Draisaitl said. “I’ve learned over the last 10 years never to bet against Connor McDavid. It wouldn’t surprise me.”
