Less than four months after McDavid’s overtime goal gave Canada a 3-2 victory against the United States at the 4 Nations Face-Off, Doug Armstrong and Bruce Cassidy are witnessing the Oilers captain take his game to a level the Panthers probably haven’t seen before, both in terms of his play and leadership.

McDavid remains the centerpiece of not just Edmonton but the NHL. He’s won the Art Ross Trophy as the scoring leader five times and the Hart Trophy as the regular-season’s most valuable player three times. He won the Conn Smythe Trophy as the postseason’s top player last year despite losing the Cup.

McDavid has breezed through the first three rounds of the Stanley Cup Playoffs in dominant fashion. Entering the Stanley Cup Final against the Florida Panthers, the Oilers star leads all NHL skaters with 26 points (six goals, 20 assists) as he owns a one-point advantage over teammate Leon Draisaitl.