Duncan Keith was the primary victim of McDavid's mastery, and Brent Seabrook also had a primo seat for the spectacle, making the play all the more impressive.
Let's take a look at exactly how he did it.
It begins with Oilers forward Kailer Yamamoto controlling the puck along the boards and eyeing McDavid up the middle.
Yamamoto feeds McDavid, who carries the puck out of the Oilers' defensive zone.
As McDavid enters the offensive zone, he's met by Keith, with Seabrook backing him up while also monitoring Maroon.
Let's switch to the aerial view now, because this is where the fun really begins.
McDavid has a step on Keith, so Seabrook comes over to provide help.
The Oilers superstar turns his back to Keith and protects the puck.
McDavid continues pivoting with Keith squaring him up, while Maroon quietly sneaks down low with his defender preoccupied.
Suddenly, McDavid swings the puck out behind both his body and Keith's imposing frame.
Then, in the blink of an eye, he flings the puck across the crease to Maroon, who has a virtually wide-open cage.
Maroon taps in one of the easiest goals he'll ever score.
Let's zoom in for another look, because we can.
It's hard to believe McDavid found his way out of this.
Keith and Seabrook look like they have him boxed in.
But that's when McDavid's body control and uncanny hands separate him, literally, from the competition.
There's no way Keith saw this coming.
Maroon is barely even in the picture, but somehow, McDavid knows he'll be there.
And he is.
Too easy.
There was nothing simple about McDavid's tremendous effort to set up the goal, though.
The MVP made something out of nothing and single-handedly created what will certainly be remembered as one of the plays of the season.
At 45, Jagr is nearly older than Gaudreau (24) and Monahan (23) combined. The veteran played his rookie NHL season in 1990-91, while Gaudreau was born on Aug. 13, 1993, and Monahan's parents welcomed him on Oct. 12, 1994.
The age disparity is truly remarkable, so to further emphasize it, here are a handful of things Jagr had on his resume before Gaudreau and Monahan entered the world:
2 Stanley Cups
Not many players have won back-to-back titles in their first two NHL seasons, but that's what Jagr did in 1991 and '92.
He had a solid rookie campaign and added 13 points in his first playoff run before exploding for 11 goals and 24 postseason points in the Pittsburgh Penguins' second consecutive championship run.
3 full NHL seasons
It's pretty amazing to think Jagr played at all before his youthful new linemates even existed, but it's even more impressive when you consider he was already well acclimated to the NHL game by the time Gaudreau and Monahan officially came to be.
By the summer of 2013 when Gaudreau was born, Jagr had already played three full seasons in North America, appearing in at least 80 games in two of them.
2 seasons with 30-plus goals
Not only did Jagr already have three NHL seasons to his name; he was also really good in them.
The Czech native scored more than 30 goals in two of his first three campaigns, including a 34-goal, 94-point outburst in 1992-93.
He improved on that point total the following season, finishing with 99 in 1993-94, months before Monahan was born and while Gaudreau was still less than a year old.
2 All-Star Game appearances
Jagr earned deserving All-Star nods in 1992 and '93. His lone point in the '92 event came on a goal by Penguins teammate Kevin Stevens, with Mario Lemieux drawing the secondary helper in the Wales Conference's 10-6 loss to the Campbell Conference.
The Wales Conference fared much better the following year, and that time Jagr chipped in a goal and an assist in a 16-6 victory.
Czech/NHL history
Jagr became the answer to a trivia question before even stepping on the ice for an NHL game.
He earned the distinction of being the first player from then-Czechoslovakia to be drafted into the NHL without first needing to defect when the Penguins selected him fifth overall in 1990.
Jagr also got a fair amount of experience with his home country's national team on multiple levels before Gaudreau and Monahan were even born, helping Czechoslovakia win the bronze medal at both the World Junior Championship and the World Championship in his draft year.
In all, he represented Czechoslovakia (and later the Czech Republic) five times before his new linemates saw daylight for the first time.
It was Yakupov's third goal in four games this season, and his third in two regular-season contests against the Bruins so far this fall. He potted a pair in a 4-0 victory over Boston on Monday.
Yakupov scored only three goals in 40 games with the St. Louis Blues in 2016-17.
He kept his resurgence going later in the second period Wednesday, notching an assist on the Matt Duchene marker that gave the Avalanche a 4-1 lead.
The clubs remain largely intact, with the exception of a few offseason tweaks, and it will be interesting to see if there is any lingering hostility between Sidney Crosby and P.K. Subban.
Nick Bonino will also be especially motivated for the tilt, considering he joined the Predators as a free agent in the offseason after winning back-to-back titles with the Penguins.
Hitchcock battles Blues
A matchup between the always competitive St. Louis Blues and a revamped Dallas Stars squad might be compelling enough on its own, but it's even more interesting given Ken Hitchcock will face the club that fired him back in February.
Hitchcock and the Stars met the Blues twice in the preseason, with the Stars winning both contests by a combined 9-3 margin, but it's going to be for real this time.
It's obviously not Hitchcock's first go-round with Dallas, but he'd surely like to make a statement against St. Louis early in his second Stars tenure, and in the regular season.
Panarin vs. Saad
The Chicago Blackhawks and Columbus Blue Jackets pulled off one of the most unexpected moves of the summer, and the two principal figures of the trade will have their first opportunity to determine who won it Saturday.
Artemi Panarin scored 61 goals combined in his two seasons with the Blackhawks, and he'll look to prove they made a mistake by dealing him away for Brandon Saad.
Saad notched a hat trick in Chicago's 10-1 destruction of the Penguins on Thursday night, and he looks more than comfortable back in his familiar spot alongside Jonathan Toews.
The Blue Jackets and Blackhawks split their two preseason meetings, but now they'll square off with points in the standings at stake.
Welcome back, Karl
Over in D.C., another reunion will take place when Karl Alzner plays his first game in the U.S. capital as a member of the opposition.
He spent parts of nine seasons with the Capitals, so he'll likely get a warm reception from the fans before attempting to prove Washington erred by letting him walk over the summer.
This could be awkward
Will Butcher won't have to wait long to get his first crack at the club he wasn't interested in playing for.
Back in August, Butcher chose not to sign with the Colorado Avalanche, the team that drafted him back in 2013, instead becoming a free agent and joining the New Jersey Devils.
Those two clubs get the 15-game slate started with the lone matinee Saturday, and the early game will also be worth watching to see how Nico Hischier fares in his NHL debut.
Rivalry renewed
The Los Angeles Kings and San Jose Sharks are both arguably fading from deep postseason contention, but they always bring it when they play each other.
Saturday's nightcap pits the Pacific Division foes against each other in what could be another spirited contest.
If their playoff meetings and countless regular-season battles of the past were any indication, it should be.
The legendary forward met the media for the first time as a member of his new team Wednesday, moments after the club confirmed his one-year, $1-million contract.
When asked about approaching Gordie Howe's all-time games played record, Jagr downplayed it by reminding reporters that he left the NHL for the KHL earlier in his career.
"I never thought about the record or I never would have gone back to Russia," he said, according to Sportsnet's Eric Francis.
As for his readiness for this season, the ageless winger said he won't rush himself into game action, making it clear he wants to get a few practices in before taking a spot in the lineup, according to Sportsnet 960 The FAN's Pat Steinberg.
There are plenty of intriguing storylines heading into the 2017-18 campaign, and some of the NHL's most significant subplots could yield unexpected results.
From long, drawn out trade negotiations that will mercifully come to an end, to a brand-new franchise avoiding the basement, here's a handful of things we're expecting to see this season:
The Predators will get Matt Duchene
David Poile knows a thing or two about reeling in a superstar who's on the trade block, and the Nashville Predators' general manager is going to swing another blockbuster trade.
The Predators' only real weakness entering the season is up the middle, and Poile undoubtedly understands the club's need, the importance of getting back to the Stanley Cup Final, and the opportunity that presents itself in Duchene's availability.
Ryan Ellis' injury made it temporarily impossible for the Predators to trade one of their top-four defensemen to the Colorado Avalanche, but Nashville made a play for the talented forward over the summer, and Poile still has pieces he can offer.
The Predators aren't the only team in the mix, but they'll put a package together that Avalanche GM Joe Sakic will ultimately accept.
Alain Vigneault will be fired
The New York Rangers are on the decline, and that will accelerate this season, despite the fact the club boasts a few talented forwards and power-play point producer Kevin Shattenkirk. They've been carried by Henrik Lundqvist over the last couple of years, but the veteran goaltender is 35, and Ondej Pavelec is New York's Plan B, so this won't end well.
Trading Derek Stepan and Antti Raanta to the Arizona Coyotes over the summer will come back to haunt the Rangers, who'll sputter to a sub-.500 record into December, costing head coach Vigneault his job.
Lindy Ruff was brought in as an assistant coach to add some experience behind the bench, and that move is going to prove prescient when the former Buffalo Sabres and Dallas Stars bench boss takes over the Rangers in a misguided and ultimately unsuccessful attempt by GM Jeff Gorton to right the ship.
2 teams will be worse than the Golden Knights
Expansion teams are usually terrible in their inaugural seasons, but there are a few reasons why the Vegas Golden Knights won't be the worst team in the NHL this season.
Secondly, the Avalanche are going to be awful again, and if they finally trade Duchene, they could be even worse than they were last season, when they set the salary-cap era record for futility.
Lastly, the Vancouver Canucks are also going to be very bad. Beyond the development of Bo Horvat, Brock Boeser, and Thatcher Demko, there isn't much to look forward to for the Canucks this season, particularly given the uncertain future of the Sedin twins.
The Golden Knights won't be good either, but the Avalanche and Canucks will be here to remind them it could be worse.
Someone will score 5 goals in a game
Three players scored four goals in a game last season, and given the amount of offensive firepower in the NHL, it's not too far-fetched to expect someone to pot a handful during a game in 2017-18.
It's even more of a possibility when you consider there will be more power plays this season, with minor infractions now being handed out for failed offside challenges, plus more calls for slashing and faceoff violations.
Jonathan Drouin will finish with 30 goals
Defense is going to be a recurring issue for the Montreal Canadiens all season, but offense from the top six won't be a problem.
Whether Drouin sticks on the Canadiens' primary unit centering Pacioretty or slots in on the wing, he'll build on the 21-goal, 53-point season he put together with the Tampa Bay Lightning in 2016-17.
Montreal has enough talent on its top two lines to ensure Drouin enjoys a breakout campaign regardless of where he ultimately lands in the lineup.
Three of his 30 goals this season will come Dec. 28 in his return to Amalie Arena, and the 60-point plateau is a realistic target for the dynamic 22-year-old.
The Central Division is always among the most compelling groups in the NHL, and it's looking like it will crown a new champion in 2017-18.
That's because last season's top team appears destined to take a significant step back, while each of its three primary rivals has improved, as did another squad that's looking to become competitive again. Overall, the only real certainty should be who finishes last.
Here's how we see the Central shaking out:
Ranking
Team
Last Season
1
Nashville Predators
4
2
Minnesota Wild
2
3
St. Louis Blues
3
4
Dallas Stars
6
5
Chicago Blackhawks
1
6
Winnipeg Jets
5
7
Colorado Avalanche
7
1. Nashville Predators
The Predators didn't truly peak until the playoffs began last season, but they're ready to carry over their success from the spring into the fall.
Nashville will be without steady defenseman Ryan Ellis for several months, but this team is well suited to deal with his absence, with Roman Josi, P.K. Subban and Mattias Ekholm comprising the rest of one of the league's best top-four defensive corps.
General manager David Poile brought back Scott Hartnell and added Nick Bonino to replace the retired Mike Fisher this summer, ensuring the Predators have a chance to build on their Stanley Cup Final appearance by being the class of the division in the upcoming season.
2. Minnesota Wild
Only the Washington Capitals had a better goal differential than the Wild last season, and not much has changed for Minnesota.
Gone are Marco Scandella and Jason Pominville, but like the Predators, the Wild are strong enough on the back end to withstand Scandella's departure, and their forward group is still very deep.
Minnesota's bottom six is better now, and the Wild still boast an elite goaltender in Devan Dubnyk, so the team should finish respectably, with a shot at claiming the division crown.
3. St. Louis Blues
Much like the Wild, the Blues are hoping continuity leads to improvement come playoff time.
Much of last season's team remains intact, and it also added Brayden Schenn, who's a big upgrade over the departed Jori Lehtera. That draft-night trade helped St. Louis up front, and it looms particularly large in light of preseason injuries to Alex Steen and Robby Fabbri.
The Stars improved the most on paper of any team in the division over the summer, but the actual impact of their free-agent additions remains to be seen.
Alex Radulov, Martin Hanzal, Marc Methot, and Ben Bishop will certainly help Dallas exceed the 79-point, sixth-place finish of a season ago, but it'll be tough for the Stars to crack the top three, given how stiff the competition is.
5. Chicago Blackhawks
It's going to be a disappointing season in the Windy City.
The Blackhawks are the defending Central Division champs, but after being swept out of the first round by the Predators in the spring, they're now without dynamic winger Artemi Panarin (traded to the Columbus Blue Jackets for Brandon Saad) and Marian Hossa (out for the season due to a skin disorder).
Chicago also has an aging top pairing on defense, as Duncan Keith turned 34 in July, and Brent Seabrook celebrated his 32nd birthday in April.
The Blackhawks do have some promising young forwards and will still rely on the experience of their veteran core, but they're in danger of falling into a period of decline.
6. Winnipeg Jets
There are reasons for optimism in Manitoba, but the Jets aren't quite ready to take off.
While there's some exciting, young talent on this roster and more coming down the pipeline, this team likely still needs some time to develop before it can challenge for a playoff spot.
Even a wild-card berth seems questionable. The forward group has plenty of question marks beyond the top line, and while Steve Mason is better than Ondrej Pavelec, goaltending will still be a concern.
Patrik Laine should make Winnipeg games worth watching, but that won't be enough to propel the Jets into the postseason.
7. Colorado Avalanche
It's entirely possible that the Avalanche, who set the salary-cap era record for futility last season, could be even worse in 2017-18.
Colorado is in the midst of its own youth movement with the likes of Mikko Rantanen, Tyson Jost, and Nikita Zadorov expected to take on larger roles this fall, but when (if?) Matt Duchene eventually gets traded, that will only make it more likely that the Avalanche once again finish in the basement of the Central Division with one of the league's worst records.
TORONTO - The NHL's third all-time leading point producer isn't too worried about the preseason crackdown on faceoff violations.
"It's just an adjustment period for the players. We got a little loose in the way we wanted the game officiated, and that happens," Mark Messier told theScore Wednesday at the launch of Bauer's "NeuroShield" collar.
"Every year, come September, (there's) a reminder for the players of what's tolerable and what's not, and the players will adjust," he said. "Once the season starts, I don't see it being an issue."
In the preseason, NHL officials have ramped up enforcement of slashing infractions as well as existing faceoff rules that previously went largely uncalled, drawing criticism from players as well as from fans and the media.
Offside challenges have been another source of officiating controversy, and while the league will reportedly attempt to curb the number of reviews with a minor penalty for lost challenges, Messier doesn't blame head coaches for using them to their advantage last season.
"Coaches are smart guys, and (if) they realize an opportunity to benefit the team, they'll use it," he said. "(Previously), there was no penalty for being wrong, and so they used it as a (way) to benefit the team, to rest a player or to get a timeout or whatever. Those are all things that are up for the general managers and the league, and all that. Whatever they decide upon, everybody will play by the rules."
Messier also weighed in on several other topics, including the NHL's lack of participation in the upcoming Olympic Games, the Stanley Cup hopes of the two franchises he's primarily associated with, and whether he sees any current player who reminds him of himself:
Alex Ovechkin has now accepted the NHL's position on the Olympics, and the league clearly isn't changing its mind on forgoing Pyeongchang, but do you think this is a missed opportunity?
"It's not (about) whether I like it or agree (about) whether they should or shouldn't go. It's a tough situation for the owners and it's a tough situation for the players. Ultimately, the players work for the owners, and (the) decision was not to go. The players have to live by it, it's just as simple as that. Who's right or who's wrong is really indifferent at this particular time. The decision has been made and everybody's going to have to live with it."
Are the Edmonton Oilers ready to be a legitimate Stanley Cup contender or do they need a bit more time to grow as a team?
"Well, I think you can say (that) anybody that makes the playoffs can potentially be a Cup contender, and I think any time you've got a player like (Connor) McDavid leading the way, you have to be thinking that special things are on the horizon, but of course, they still have to prove it.
"They had a great year last year, and I think they might have been a little disappointed that they didn't go further because I think they probably could (have), so it'll be an interesting year for them this year. They're going to have to earn it. The teams around the league will be ready for them, and they won't surprise anybody this year. The better team you become, the tougher it could get, so it'll be interesting to see how it unfolds for the Oilers."
Can the New York Rangers get back to their Cup Final and conference final form of a few years ago, or are they going to continue to have difficulty getting back there?
"They're a playoff team for sure, (but) there's a lot of competition. A lot has to go right for any team to win the Stanley Cup. You've gotta be lucky, you've gotta be good, you've gotta stay healthy. They've proven that they've had the goaltending there, (but) they're in a bit of a transition period right now, so time will only tell there, but I think everybody would agree that they're a playoff team."
There are a lot of great players in the NHL these days, and you're one of the greatest of all time, but do you see any current players who remind you of yourself?
"(I) never compare players ever. Never liked to compare players. I don't think it's fair to any player to compare (them) to any player in the past or the future. I think every player has to make it on their own merits and their own individual characteristics.
"There will never be another Wayne Gretzky. There will never be another Mario Lemieux. There will never be another Gordie Howe. There will never be (another) Sidney Crosby. There will never be (another) Jonathan Toews. These guys are who they are, and the reason they are who they are is because they've been able to put their own (stamp) on it without comparisons (to) anybody else. I don't think it's fair to compare young kids. I think it puts undue pressure on them and I think it's important for them to make a name on their own for their own individual style and skill."
A new rule will punish teams that unsuccessfully issue an offside challenge by assessing those clubs a two-minute penalty for every failed review, Sportsnet's Elliotte Friedman reports.
The cost of losing a goaltender interference review will remain the same, as teams that unsuccessfully challenge for that infraction will still give up a timeout, according to Friedman.
There is reportedly one additional rule change that will take effect beginning this season, as teams will no longer be allowed to call a timeout immediately after icing the puck.
