Connor McDavid’s rise to become the face of the Edmonton Oilers and the NHL is extraordinary.
From an early age, McDavid played against older kids, honing his skills under his father’s guidance. He won four Ontario Minor Hockey Association championships with the York Simcoe Express before joining the Toronto Marlboros in 2011, where he was named GTHL Player of the Year.
In 2012, Hockey Canada granted him exceptional player status, allowing him to enter the OHL at 15. The Erie Otters selected him first overall, and McDavid quickly proved his worth, peaking in the 2014-15 season with 120 points and earning top honours like the Red Tilson Trophy and CHL Player of the Year. He also won gold for Canada at the 2013 IIHF U18 Championships and the 2015 World Juniors.
Joining the Oilers in 2015-16, McDavid immediately impressed, despite missing time with a fractured clavicle. He was named to the NHL All-Rookie Team and became the youngest captain in NHL history at 19. Leading by example, he won the Art Ross Trophy with a 100-point season and was named league MVP.
McDavid’s speed is legendary, dominating the NHL Fastest Skater competition four times. He’s a four-time NHL First Team All-Star, five-time Art Ross Trophy winner, four-time Ted Lindsay Award recipient, three-time Hart Trophy winner, and one of only two players to unanimously win that trophy, alongside Wayne Gretzky. He also holds the Rocket Richard Trophy and the Conn Smythe Trophy. At just 27, McDavid is the best player on the planet, with only a Stanley Cup missing from his resume.
Hockey Origins:
McDavid’s hockey journey started early—around the tender age of three—when he was practicing on rollerblades in his family’s basement. By four, he was already playing organized youth hockey. But when he was six, a local youth hockey association refused to let him play against older kids. His parents, knowing he needed more of a challenge, enrolled him in a hockey program in Aurora, Ontario. That decision paid off, as McDavid won four Ontario Minor Hockey Association championships with the York Simcoe Express, a team coached by his father.
While McDavid had offers from NCAA Division I hockey clubs, he chose a different path. He applied for exceptional player status at age 14, with Hockey Canada, and after rigorous evaluations of his athleticism, academics, and maturity, he was granted permission to enter the CHL at 15, a year earlier than usual. It made him only the third Ontario Hockey League (OHL) player to receive such an exception. By the 2014-15 season, McDavid had proven himself so valuable that the Otters named him captain during training camp, setting the stage for his remarkable junior career.
Welcome to the NHL:
McDavid’s NHL career started with a setback—he fractured his clavicle in just his 13th game after being drafted first overall by the Edmonton Oilers in 2015. Despite missing 37 games, he finished his rookie season with 16 goals and 48 points, earning fourth in rookie scoring. The following season, McDavid became the youngest captain in NHL history at 19. After scoring 30 goals and 100 points in 82 games, he won his first Hart Trophy in 2017 and signed an eight-year, $100 million contract extension with the Oilers, which took effect in 2019.
Becoming the Best Player on the Planet:
In 2018, McDavid set new career highs with 41 goals and 108 points, including 67 assists, leading the NHL with 84 even-strength points. He upped the ante in 2022 with 44 goals, and 123 points, securing his fourth career Art Ross Trophy.
Then came the 2023 season, as the superstar potted 64 goals and 153 points, earning his fifth Art Ross Trophy and first Rocket Richard Trophy. This regular season, McDavid reached another milestone on when he recorded his 100th assist of the season during a 9–2 win over the San Jose Sharks. It made him the first NHL player in over three decades—and only the fourth player in history, alongside Wayne Gretzky, Mario Lemieux, and Bobby Orr—to achieve this feat. He ended the season with 32 goals and 100 assists for 132 points in 76 games.
In the playoffs, McDavid recorded 34 assists this postseason. His 42 points were the fourth-best in playoff history. Unfortunately, he couldn’t find the back of the net in the and the Oilers came up short 2-1 in Game 7 of the Stanley Cup Final against the Florida Panthers, robbing McDavid of his maiden Cup.
ITR 43: It's Winning Time – Inside The Rink
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