One topic Connor McDavid couldn't avoid was Edmonton's perplexing tendency to stumble out of the gate each season.
Despite dropping a 3-2 decision to the Calgary Flames on Saturday, the Edmonton Oilers have plenty of reasons for optimism as they head into the new year. With an 8-4-1 record in December and just two games remaining in the month, the team has come out from what has become an all-too-familiar pattern of sluggish starts followed by surging comebacks.