Ex-Stanley Cup champion Jack Johnson suggests shrewd tactic to limit Connor McDavid

By Abhishek Dilta

Modified Jun 20, 2024 05:06 GMT

Stanley Cup winner Jack Johnson has proposed a crafty defensive strategy to contain Connor McDavid while he has possession of the puck. McDavid has been a key player for the Edmonton Oilers in the Stanley Cup Final against the Florida Panthers. The Oilers captain delivered one of the best final performances in the crucial Games 4 and 5.

He became the first player in NHL playoff history to notch up four points in back-to-back games. In the previous two games, the Panthers have had a tough time keeping McDavid in check, which has also put pressure on their defense.

On the "Pat McAfee Show," Johnson shared some tactics to handle him:

"Well, I mean, first of all, a guy that good, you're not going to stop him completely. He's going to get some chances. You know, obviously, you're just trying to limit those chances; you don't want to let them blow up for four points a night. I mean, like, he's he's gonna make things happen. He's just that type of player," Johnson said.

Johnson also emphasized focusing on depriving a player of the puck rather than trying to take it away from them. By maintaining possession in the offensive zone, you force the opponent to defend, which can help tire them out and prevent Connor McDavid from launching quick offensive plays.

"One of the things that we really focused on was, it's a lot easier to try and deprive a guy the puck than take it away from them. So if you have the puck, you can hold on to it in the offensive zone.

You got to try to make them play defense. So they're not just, you know, full of gas coming the other way to play offense on Yeah, that was one thing we did, " he continued.

"Like I said, we thought we limited them when we look at score sheet, and you'd have to three points, but you know, trying to make them play defense is probably the best way to keep them at bay a little bit," he added.

Connor McDavid's performance in the Stanley Cup Final has been instrumental in extending the series to six games for the Oilers. At first, it seemed like a straightforward path for the Panthers to secure their first title.

Nonetheless, the Oilers have made a comeback and now require just one more victory to push for Game 7.

Connor McDavid reflects on Game 5 win

Following the Oilers' Game 5 win at Amerant Arena on Tuesday, Connor McDavid acknowledged the collective contribution of the entire team in the game and emphasized that the team's success was a collective effort.

He said (via NHL.com):

"It was a total effort from everybody," McDavid said. "Special teams, obviously, were great. The penalty kill, there's nothing else to really say. It's been great. 'Brownie' scores a nice goal there to kind of settle us in. The power play got going, 'Stu' was great and 5-on-5 we just did enough. It was a total team effort from top to bottom."

The Stanley Cup Final now shifts back to Alberta, where Connor McDavid and the Oilers will host the Panthers at Rogers Place for Game 6 on Friday.