Following their loss to the Tampa Bay Lightning, Connor McDavid gave high praise to Lightning head coach Jon Cooper. Now, insider Craig Button has called out McDavid for his comments.
The Edmonton Oilers have won only two of their last six games. Although they are still in a playoff spot, the race in the Western Conference remains tight.
Connor McDavid praised Jon Cooper
Frustration has grown among fans and members of the Oilers organization, and captain Connor McDavid praised both the Lightning and Jon Cooper after Saturday’s defeat.
“They have a great syste, perfectly coached. And they all know what they’re doing all over the ice. It’s impressive. A great team, extremely well-coached, extremely well-organized. They’re very rehearsed in everything they do. It’s very impressive. And when you do break them down, they have a heck of a goalie to backstop them,” McDavid said after the game.
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”Everybody can do better”
Connor McDavid has since clarified that he did not intend for his comments to be taken negatively.
“We’re not taking shots,” McDavid said. “It’s just that everybody can be better—myself included. Everybody can be better. It was more just complimentary of a great team in this league that came in and played a good game. Nothing more than that. I’m not sure how it was taken that way—it wasn’t supposed to be that way. But I understand how people could interpret it that way. It’s not what I intended at all,” McDavid said.
NHL insider rips Connor McDavid
However, TSN insider Craig Button was not convinced by McDavid’s explanation. Speaking on the Frankly Hockey podcast, he called out the Oilers captain.
“When you have a voice, you have to use it in a way that is responsible. And when it isn’t, I hope he’s ready for the criticism. Connor McDavid signed a two-year contract extension. If he doesn’t think this is a good situation for him in Edmonton, that’s on him. Why did he sign a two-year extension? He could have left this summer, he could have evaluated,” Button said on the podcast.
He continued:
“It’s amazing. I’d hate to hear what he has to say about a coach that only got him to the second round of the playoffs or the third round of the playoffs. A coach that got him to the Stanley Cup Final in back-to-back years? This team in 2026 is not better than the team in 2024. That’s on management. When you lose Broberg, Holloway, McLeod, Foegele, Ceci, and Corey Perry, that’s on management. That’s not on the coach,” Button said.
You can watch the video below.
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