Connor McDavid isn’t one to throw his body around while on the ice.
He has tremendous speed, quick transitions and the ability to make unbelievable plays. But he’ll rarely throw a hit. Over the course of his NHL career, McDavid has played in 252 games. He has only thrown 90 hits over that time frame.
That’s why it was so special last night when McDavid hit Aaron Ekblad during an Oilers/Panthers contest. As the puck was nearing the blue line, Ekblad dropped to his knees to keep the puck in the zone.
McDavid chased down the puck to try and defend it. In the process, McDavid ended up hitting Ekblad fully to the ice, taking himself out as well.
That play was McDavid’s 16th hit of the season. When will we see McDavid throw his body around again?