McDavid leads the NHL with 52 points (17 goals, 35 assists) in 30 games, including 22 on the power play, and has scored 10 points (five goals, five assists) in his first four games against the Flames this season.
The 24-year-old forward is on pace to score 97 points in 56 games and could become the first player since Mario Lemieux (38 games) and Jaromir Jagr (52 games) in 1995-96 to score at least 100 points in 56 or fewer games. If so, he would become the 13th player in NHL history to do that (Wayne Gretzky did it 12 times, Lemieux did it eight times).
"I don't think he's singled out the Calgary Flames as his main target," Sutter said. "I've watched him lots, I live 80 miles from Edmonton, so I've watched Edmonton as much as Calgary and Vancouver. Obviously, they have a great power play and he pretty much dominates that part of the game too. It's on everybody to slow Connor McDavid down."
Calgary (13-12-3), which is in fifth in the Scotia North Division, has won consecutive games with Sutter as coach since he replaced Geoff Ward on March 4, sweeping a two-game set against the Montreal Canadiens, who are in fourth.
Edmonton (18-12-0), which is coming off a 2-1 loss to the Vancouver Canucks on Saturday that ended a four-game winning streak, is in third.
If the Flames want to continue their early success under Sutter, captain Mark Giordano said everyone will have to be ready against McDavid.
"I think we need to have four lines going, six (defensemen) just because they play so much," he said. "He and (Oilers forward Leon) Draisaitl basically play every other shift for most of the game. It's tough to match when guys are playing that much, so you have to have everyone going, everyone on board. Obviously, skill players, you've got to take away their time and space, so we have to do a good job of that tomorrow."
