Connor McDavid went pointless in his first two games against the Anaheim Ducks in the first round of the playoffs. Let that sink in for a moment. This is the same player who has redefined what offensive dominance looks like in the modern NHL, a player whose speed through the neutral zone is genuinely unlike anything the game has seen.
This run marked only the fifth time in McDavid’s career that he had been held pointless in back-to-back playoff games, going back to Game 6 of last year’s Stanley Cup Final against the Florida Panthers.
That stat highlights just how difficult it is to stop him and how remarkable it is that the Ducks are doing exactly that.
He did manage to score and nab an assist in game three, but it was ultimately not enough as they lost 7-4.
Every team in the league has tried to figure out the McDavid problem. Few have succeeded for any sustained stretch. His quickness and edge work make it nearly impossible to set up a defensive structure before he’s already through it. His hands, his vision, and his ability to make plays at full speed make him a nightmare even when defenders are in position. Slowing McDavid down isn’t just a tactical challenge; it’s one of the most difficult assignments in professional sports.
So who does Ducks head coach Joel Quenneville trust with that assignment? A 24-year-old undrafted center named Tim Washe.
Who Is Tim Washe?
He earned his way into the NHL the hard way, winning NCHC Defensive Forward of the Year honors at Western Michigan in 2024-25 before signing a two-year entry-level deal with Anaheim. The Ducks didn’t sign him for his offense; they signed him for his ability to stop the opponent’s offense.
At 6-foot-3, Washe has the size to body up against elite forwards without getting pushed around. His game is built on positioning, defensive zone awareness, and an ability to read where the puck is going before it gets there. He isn’t going to dazzle anyone with his offensive numbers, but that was never the point. In a league full of skilled centers, Washe represents a dying breed: a genuine shutdown pivot who takes pride in the defensive side of the puck.
The best way to stop McDavid from scoring is to stop him from touching the puck, and the best way to do that is to win faceoffs. Washe has done exactly that, posting a faceoff win percentage of 56.0 through the first three playoff games. That number matters enormously in this specific matchup.
When Anaheim wins a draw in its own zone, McDavid never gets the puck on his stick in a dangerous area. The Edmonton Oilers’ entire offensive system runs through its captain; disrupt his touches, and you disrupt everything the Oilers want to do. Washe understands the assignment and is executing it at a high level.
The Ice Time Tells the Full Story
Of the 30:17 minutes of total ice time Washe has logged through three games, nearly 18 of those minutes, specifically 17:43, have come head-to-head directly against McDavid. Quenneville is making a deliberate, calculated decision to send his shutdown center out every single time McDavid’s line hits the ice.
For a coach with three Stanley Cup rings and 20 playoff appearances on his resume, that kind of trust in an undrafted 24-year-old is a significant statement. Quenneville has seen enough playoff hockey to know what works and what doesn’t. Washe is working.
This isn’t the first time Anaheim has deployed Washe in this kind of role. Earlier in the season, the Ducks used him to shadow San Jose Sharks superstar forward Macklin Celebrini in a similar shutdown assignment. Washe won both of his faceoffs in that game, Celebrini went pointless, and the Ducks won 6-1.
That wasn’t a fluke. It was a blueprint, and Quenneville has clearly filed it away. The ability to identify a specific player whose skillset neutralizes an opposing star and then deploy that player with conviction is a mark of elite coaching. Quenneville is doing exactly that, and Washe is delivering.
What makes Washe’s play so effective is that it extends well beyond the faceoff circle. He plays a legitimate 200-foot game, meaning his defensive responsibility doesn’t end when he loses a draw or gets beaten off the rush. He backchecks hard, takes away passing lanes, and positions himself to cut off McDavid’s preferred routes.
His size allows him to win the physical battles along the boards that are so crucial in playoff hockey. When the Oilers captain does get the puck in the offensive zone, Washe makes him work for every inch of ice, forcing him toward the perimeter and away from the high-danger areas in front of the net.
The Ducks lead this series 2-1, and Washe’s ability to limit McDavid is a significant reason why. Anaheim’s young core, Leo Carlsson, Cutter Gauthier, Mason McTavish, and Jackson LaCombe, has rightfully received most of the attention this postseason. But playoff series are won in the margins, and right now, Washe is one of the biggest margins the Ducks have over the Oilers.
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