McDavid unfazed by scoring race: 'Been there and done that'

Connor McDavid doesn't seem concerned about pursuing his sixth Art Ross Trophy as long as the Edmonton Oilers keep winning.

The reigning MVP, who won the scoring title with a career-high 153 points last season, said the club finding ways to win without him or Leon Draisaitl lighting up the scoresheet is a positive for Edmonton's playoff aspirations.

"It's not one of those years where everyone's going to be writing about all these big numbers and stuff like that. But, we've been there and done that," McDavid said, per Sportsnet's Mark Spector. "It's about being a part of something, and I think it's a good thing that no one's writing about Connor McDavid and Leon Draisaitl leading the way."

McDavid ranks fifth in league scoring with 67 points in 43 games, 18 back of leader Nikita Kucherov, while Draisaitl sits 14th with 57 points. Their lower-than-normal numbers aren't a concern at the moment since the Oilers are on a 16-game win streak and are 26-6-0 under new head coach Kris Knoblauch.

"Is it great to produce offensively? Of course, it is," McDavid said. "But we want to be a part of something; we want to be part of a team and a group that can do some damage later in the year."

McDavid credited Edmonton's new defensive structure for the club's surge up the standings.

"We're playing a little bit of a different system than we've ever played here before, and we're getting comfortable in it," he said. "You can see in the (defensive) zone, there seems to be way less running around. It's a lot calmer."

Edmonton has vaulted to third in the Pacific with 59 points after a disastrous start to the campaign. The Oilers' next game comes on Feb. 6 against the Vegas Golden Knights, and a victory over their division rivals would match the longest win streak in NHL history.

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