McDavid, Draisaitl buy into Oilers' team concept, coach says

Getting world-class players to buy into a new coach's system isn't always easy. But Dave Tippett said Edmonton Oilers forwards Connor McDavid and Leon Draisaitl were immediately on board with what he wanted to do.

"They both recognize that individual players don't win championships, teams win championships, and they've been really strong advocates of making sure that they're playing team structure," the Oilers coach said Friday.

"They know that they have a role to play, a big role on our team. And I believe with players like that, you have to allow them to be themselves, allow them to maximize the assets they have, which are obviously outstanding. But that being said, they still have to buy into some of the structure we're dealing with because the team's trying to win."

Draisaitl led the NHL with 110 points (43 goals, 67 assists) in 71 games when the NHL paused the season March 12 due to concerns surrounding the coronavirus. McDavid was second with 97 points (34 goals, 63 assists) in 64 games.

"They were [on a line] together a long time and they're outstanding together, but I was trying, maybe, to get them apart a little to balance things," Tippett said. "That was the biggest chore with the two of them, to find some players to play with them so we could have a little more balance. But both have been outstanding and are just phenomenal hockey players. But from a coaching standpoint, the ability to talk with them, relate with them, and them wanting to do what's best for the team, that's one of the biggest things this year that I've taken out of Edmonton is their commitment to try and play as a team and win. It's been phenomenal."

The Oilers (37-25-9) are second in the Pacific Division, three points behind the Vegas Golden Knights. Tippett said he hopes to help bring postseason success back for the Oilers, who won the Stanley Cup in 1984, 1985, 1987, 1988 and 1990. The Oilers have made the Stanley Cup Playoffs once in the past 13 seasons (2017).

"You watch some of the videos of the old Oilers games, when they were winning Cups, it just gives you goose bumps," Tippett said. "It's a passionate fan base that's dying to win, and it's been an enjoyable year this year for me there. It's great to get to a place where every day, everyone's all in, between media, fans, players, coaches, staff, everybody. Hopefully we can get the success of some those old Oilers teams. We'll see."