'Did you see that?' Breaking down Connor McDavid's surreal spin-o-rama

Watching the fastest man in the NHL can sometimes leave you breathless.

You rub your eyes. You shout, "Did you see that?" even though you're the only one in the room.

Trying to figure what Connor McDavid is doing at any given moment is like trying to catch lightning in a bottle.

So, we got a bottle and we caught some lightning.

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McDavid's surreal spin move against the Chicago Blackhawks went viral on Twitter overnight and is sure to be talked about for years.

To truly appreciate the magic, let's slow it down and break it up into easily digestible parts.

In the photo above, McDavidhas the puck and he's flying. His speed plays a big role here. Blackhawks defenceman Duncan Keith, one of the best in the NHL, is already in full retreat. Against most players, he might still be in a good position. But with things happening so fast, he's behind already.

Two strides later, the Oilers captain has almost reached the blue-line. Keith looks beaten. His defence partner Brent Seabrook, no slouch in his own zone, looks to be in good position to help. But looks can be deceiving.

Keith is beaten. He's a fast skater and mobile as heck. But he has no chanceanymore. Seabrook is still in good position, and his stick is in a good place. If he could just reach the puck, he might be able to save the day. But McDavid knows that. With no space to break between the defence partners, he instantly invents another plan of attack.

McDavid has turned away from Seabrook to protect the puck. Keith is now behind the Oilers centre. From this point on, McDavid glides backward toward the net, shielding the puck with his body. Two of the best defencemen in the league have no idea what to do.

Keith is in no-man's land. Seabrook is watching the puck. Blackhawks goalie Anton Forsberg is ready for McDavid to shoot a backhand. But if you look carefully, someone else has entered the picture. Oilers left winger Patrick Maroon is also speeding toward the net. When you play with the Magic Man, you have to be ready for anything. Unlike Keith and Seabrook, McDavidknows exactly where everyone is. He knows Maroon is there, ready to take a pass. So he passes the puck across the goalmouth, giving his winger aneasy tap-in to tie the score.

As the goal celebration begins, McDavid's teammates are all looking at their captain. Maroon's smile says it all. After the TV audience was treated to a multitude of replays, when the camera finally panned to the Oilers bench, Maroon was still grinning. Who can blame him?

Here's the video, so you can watch the play again.

Hip Check: McDavid protects the puck for incredible assist

7 years ago

Duration 0:39

Oiler spins past Keith and Seabrook for highlight reel pass.