Player Grades: Bad Mental Mistakes as Edmonton Oilers Blown Out by Pittsburgh Penguins

Player Grades: Bad Mental Mistakes as Edmonton Oilers Blown Out by Pittsburgh Penguins

This wasn’t just a simple defeat — it was a loud and embarrassing warning. The Edmonton Oilers didn’t just lose to the Pittsburgh Penguins; they completely fell apart mentally in front of everyone. The stats are shocking. Pittsburgh had 19 quality shots compared to Edmonton’s 17, but the real issue came in the scariest category: the Penguins had 14 big chances while Edmonton had only six. That’s not just bad luck. It’s a total breakdown.

To put this in perspective, Edmonton usually gives up about six big chances each game. Allowing 14 is not just a small mistake — it’s a huge defensive failure that belongs in a highlight reel of errors. The players were not covering their areas well, made careless choices with the puck, and lost focus when it was crucial.

And yes, we have to start an awkward talk about Connor McDavid.

Connor McDavid — Grade: 2

Usually as sharp as a top chef’s knife, McDavid seemed unusually dull. This might have been his worst game of the season. His careless puck loss at the offensive blue line started the events that led to Pittsburgh scoring their second goal. Another giveaway in the offensive zone created a big chance for Novak right at the end of the first period.

McDavid did show some flashes of greatness — almost scoring during a power play in the first period and later setting up Zach Hyman for a breakaway. He even hustled back to stop a scoring chance from Malkin in the second period. But those moments were overshadowed by risky choices that went terribly wrong.

The most painful example? Another giveaway at the offensive blue line — a spot where Edmonton likes to take chances — led to Malkin’s breakaway goal that made it 5-1. Game over. The message was clear.

McDavid’s impact on Grade A shots tells the whole story: when teams were even, he balanced out (+5, -5), while special team performances did not save him.

This wasn’t about how hard they worked. It was about overconfidence, careless mistakes, and a team thinking their skill would make up for errors. Pittsburgh brutally revealed that false belief.