There is no doubt that when all is said and done, Edmonton Oilers superstar Connor McDavid is going to end up in the Hockey Hall of Fame.
Let’s take a look at what McDavid, 28, has accomplished so far:
- Five Art Ross Trophies as the league’s leading scorer (2017, 2018, 2021, 2022, and 2023)
- One Conn Smythe Trophy as the league’s most valuable player in the Stanley Cup Playoffs (2024)
- Three Hart Memorial Trophies as the league’s most valuable player in the regular season (2017, 2021, and 2023
- Four Ted Lindsay Awards as the league’s most valuable player as voted on by the players (2017, 2018, 2021, and 2023)
- One Rocket Richard Trophy as the league’s leading goal scorer (2023)
- NHL All-Rookie Team (2016)
- Seven NHL All-Star Games (2017, 2018, 2019, 2020, 2022, 2023, and 2024)
- Made the NHL First All-Star Team five times (2017, 2018, 2019, 2021, and 2023)
- Made the NHL Second All-Star Team two times (2022 and 2024)
Notice that his career totals to date were not mentioned above because even those numbers are astounding. As of this writing (Friday night, May 30), McDavid has 361 goals and 721 assists for 1082 points in just 712 games.
McDavid has also been tremendous in the postseason in his career. He currently (As of Friday night, May 30) has 43 goals and 100 assists for 143 points in 90 games.
He has continued to show the rest of the league why he is the best player in the world throughout these playoffs. For starters, he is producing at an incredible clip.
In this year’s postseason, McDavid leads the league in assists (20), points (26), points-per-game (1.63), even-strength points (22), and shots (59). Yes, he only has six goals, but as you can tell by the number of shots that he has put on the net in the postseason, it is not for lack of trying.
Secondly, McDavid continues to show that he can change the game with a big play by using his speed. That was the case in his team’s 6-3 victory over the Dallas Stars in Game 5 on Thursday night, May 29, a win that knocked the Stars out of the postseason and put the Oilers in the Stanley Cup Final against the Florida Panthers for the second straight season.
After Stars forward Roope Hintz scored to make it 3-2 in the second period, McDavid used his speed to score on a breakaway to give the Oilers a two-goal lead. Not only did the goal suck some of the momentum out of the Stars, but it also quieted what was a rowdy croud at the time.
In speaking with reporters after the game, Oilers defenseman Darnell Nurse told Daniel-Nugent Bowman of The Athletic that McDavid’s big goal is something that everyone has become accustomed to.
“Incredible,” longtime teammate Darnell Nurse said. “The big moments, he always steps up and makes such a difference for our team.
“That was a golden example of a big player making a big play in a big moment.”
Stars head coach Pete DeBoer told reporters after the game that he agreed with Nurse’s take on the play and added to it by saying that anytime you see that, it ends up in the back of the net.
“He’s not missing that,” Stars coach Pete DeBoer said. “And it’s game over.”
Lastly, McDavid has shown the rest of the league why he is still the best by being a true leader on the ice. As mentioned above, he can score big goals, but he can also play on the power play, kill penalties, and set up his teammates while also being a player who goes all out every single shift.
When his team needed a big goal, he supplied it. When they needed someone to create offense, he was there, and when they needed someone to give them another chance to play for the Cup, he answered the call.
The one thing missing from McDavid’s unbelievable hockey arsenal and accomplishments is a Cup. His team lost in seven games to the Panthers last season.
Now, the two teams meet again for another great battle. Should the Oilers win the Cup, it will put McDavid into another hockey stratosphere.
ITR 44: We Have A Champion…Again – Inside The Rink
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