1-ON-1 WITH CONNOR McDAVID, MATCHING UP WITH PANTHERS, EXTENDED TIME OFF

1-ON-1 WITH CONNOR McDAVID, MATCHING UP WITH PANTHERS, EXTENDED TIME OFF

Conor let’s get to the matchup first and foremost the Florida Panthers you saw him a couple of times this season results weren’t ideal for you what do you think that you know the the proper way to play against that team is going to be for your group um yeah that’s a good question um you know it’s been a long time since we played them you know um a lot of the teams we played in the playoffs we haven’t had great results in um in the regular season whether it’s Vancouver or Dallas or um you know obviously now these guys so um playoffs are a different animal and and um you know they play an aggressive game game they skate they all skate well they all um work up the ice and and for check well I think that’s you know part of their identity so you know for us breaking the puckup is going to be important I think uh you know finding a way to uh to play in their Zone um and kind of wear them down that way will will go a long way Matias eom was talking about his cut final experience the other day he said it’s almost like there’s so much else going on around it that you actually get to game time of game one and it’s like you can almost forget that you’re there to play hockey and that’s what you need to be focused and ready for you’ll be going through this for the first time how aware are you of the distraction and prepared to kind of focus in when it counts um yeah I mean you can already tell the the distractions um a little bit more media attention um you know definitely um lots of friends and family wanting to go to games and stuff like that but ultimately um you know we’re here to do a job and we’re here to uh to uh to play against a real good Florida team and and and they require our full attention and um you know we’ll uh you know once we get kind of the the the media stuff the media portion out of the way I mean it’s just hockey so um we’re looking forward to that part you guys won something you won the West you were able to celebrate as a group put on hats I know it’s not the end goal but for this team to be able to do that together has it sunk in over a couple of days sure maybe what that meant and what you’re about to go do together um you know what no I think I think we’re still uh we’re still very much in the mindset that that uh you know we have another uh great test in front of us another great um a great opponent um and something that we’re looking forward to um we’ve played against three real good teams and um have another one in front of us and and and we’re excited for that challenge and um plenty of time for reflecting um later on but um you know we’re uh we’re excited about the opportunity last one how’s this time off been is there a way for you to get your brain off of this is it taking Lenny for a walk like what are the things that let you relax your brain a little yeah it’s tough it’s tough obviously um you know understanding what’s at stake and and uh obviously living in Edmonton um you know anywhere you go that’s what people want to talk about so um you know a lot of time just um just at home uh relaxing um resting the body you know it’s been uh it’s been already a long run and um you got to rest up and and and get ready to go again thanks thanks lot for

TSN”s Ryan Rishaug has an exclusive locker room chat with Oilers captain Connor McDavid ahead of Saturday’s matchup against the Florida Panthers in the Stanley Cup Final