Edmonton Oilers' Connor McDavid ‘Put On A Good Show' For Canada. Is The Cup Next?
(Editor's note: This story originally appeared in The Hockey News' Top 100 NHL Players issue with a cover date of April 21, 2025. It has been edited and updated for online purposes.)
Connor McDavid has a way of finding himself in rarefied air.
In Edmonton, where the aura of Wayne Gretzky's number billowing from the rafters still hangs heavy in the atmosphere, McDavid lives up to lofty expectations.
Across Canada, McDavid has the air of a superhero. In this year's 4 Nations Face-Off final in Boston, it was McDavid who found the space in overtime, then left a nation walking on air when he found the back of the net to give Team Canada the win.
'I hope we put on a good show,' said McDavid in a post-game interview, 'and gained some fans.'
Mission accomplished. But McDavid is far from done.
With that golden goal in Boston, McDavid planted a flag on hockey's mountaintop. With comparisons to Gretzky already de rigueur, McDavid found himself in an even more rare place in Canadian hockey folklore: alongside Paul Henderson and Sidney Crosby.
At 28, McDavid has already stuffed his trophy cabinet with one Rocket Richard Trophy, three Hart Trophies, four Ted Lindsay Awards and five Art Ross Trophies. Then there's the Conn Smythe Trophy that McDavid earned when he brought his team back from a 3-0 series deficit in last year's Stanley Cup final before ultimately falling short in Game 7 in Florida.
The Stanley Cup is pretty much the only bauble in hockey where you won't find McDavid's name. Not yet. But not for a lack of trying.
McDavid became just the second skater to win the MVP of the playoffs while playing for the losing team. Philadelphia's Reggie Leach was the first in 1976.
As McDavid hangs out at hockey's highest peak, with his name now shorthand for dizzying greatness, there is still that Stanley Cup to claim.
For four years running, McDavid's Cup quest began with his Oilers bouncing the Los Angeles Kings from the playoffs faster than, well, a Connor McDavid breakaway. The Kings know his skills better than anyone.
'Speed,' said Kings center Phillip Danault of the most clear and present danger that McDavid presents. 'He's electric, and he has quick hands.'
McDavid also possesses something that belongs to him alone.
'He just thinks the game differently,' Danault said.
Kings defenseman Drew Doughty, who has a history of chirping McDavid, went from rival to admirer at the 4 Nations Face-Off. Doughty believes his breakout pass that sprung McDavid for a breathtaking goal in the unforgettable 3-1 round-robin loss to Team USA in Montreal could not have been converted into a breakaway goal by anyone else.
'If I pass that to any player in the league other than Connor McDavid,' Doughty said, 'with the possible exception of Nathan MacKinnon, I don't think anybody else is getting a breakaway.'
It's doubtful Doughty would have even attempted the pass leading up to the memorable goal had it been intended for anyone else.
'When I saw Connor get the speed through the neutral zone, I knew I was going to pass it to him,' Doughty said. 'Not many guys are going to get a breakaway off that. He's just so fast. It was a good pass by me, but Connor made the play.'
Because McDavid combines space-age speed with classic skills and a unique perspective on hockey, he makes plays that no one else dares attempt, altering the way a game is played. His mere presence on the ice changes everything, everywhere, all at once.
'The way everyone tries to cover him makes the game open up,' Danault said.
Added Kings defender Mikey Anderson: 'Connor McDavid is just different. He has a mix of everything. He has a different level of speed. He plays fast, but his hands move just as fast as his feet. He sees an opportunity when other guys don't, and he is smart about when to turn it on.'
Playing with McDavid for Team Canada, Doughty learned the game's singular talent is a great teammate.
'We put everything that has happened over the past years aside, and we were teammates,' Doughty said. 'He's a great person. Hung out with him a ton. Talked to him a ton. Really enjoyed being his teammate on and off the ice.'
So, yeah, you could certainly say McDavid knows how to clear the air and gain new fans.
This article appeared in our 2025 Top 100 NHLers issue. This issue focuses on the 100 best players currently in the NHL, with the Avalanche's Nathan MacKinnon sitting atop the list. We also include features on Alex Ovechkin finally beating Wayne Gretzky's goal-scoring record, and former CFL running back Andrew Harris' switch to semi-professional hockey. In addition, we provide a PWHL playoff preview as the regular season nears its end.
You can get it in print for free when you subscribe to The Hockey News at THN.com/Free today. All subscriptions include complete access to more than 76 years of articles at The Hockey News Archive.
Copyright 2025 The Hockey News, Roustan Media Ltd.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
New York Post
38 minutes ago
- New York Post
Brett Berard eager to make strong impression on new Rangers coach with lineup spot up for grabs
Brett Berard was competing in just his fourth career NHL game when he suffered a torn labrum in his shoulder. Access the Rangers beat like never before Join Post Sports+ for exciting subscriber-only features, including real-time texting with Mollie Walker about the inside buzz on the Rangers. tRY IT NOW It was a 'normal hit' in the Rangers' eventual 4-3 win over the Canadiens at Madison Square Garden on Nov. 30, Berard explained before suiting up for the Shoulder Check Showcase last week. He missed just three games, returned to the lineup and appeared in 31 more contests in what ultimately became a lost 2024-25 season that ended in early April. 'I was out for a week or so, but it's one of those things where you're up in the NHL, you work your whole life for it,' Berard said of the injury, which didn't require surgery despite forcing him to pull out of the 2025 World Championship this summer. 'I felt like I was playing pretty good hockey, too, so you don't want to really lose that. So, [I] just tried to play through it.' The circumstances surrounding Berard's first NHL recall are worth mentioning for context. 4 Rangers' Brett Berard participates in the third annual Shoulder Check hockey showcase game with more than 25 NHL hockey players at Terry Conners Rink on Thursday, July 24, 2025. Corey Sipkin for the NY POST Here was a 22-year-old, long-shot draft pick by the club — at 134th overall in 2020 — who had worked his way up the organizational depth chart. The Rangers were beginning to implode in the aftermath of president and general manager Chris Drury's leaked league-wide memo soliciting trade partners for his captain and longest-tenured player. The losing streak had just hit a season-high five straight games following a dud in Philadelphia. Berard's recall was made with hope that the 5-foot-9, 175-pound wing, who was Hartford's leading scorer at the time, could help give the team some new life. It was a lofty situation to be walking into for a rookie, but one that Berard embraced with excitement and patience. This despite going back down to the AHL for a bit before coming in and out of the Rangers lineup through the final two months of the season. No one could save the Rangers sinking ship, but Berard certainly made an impression that could set him up for a legitimate battle to make the roster out of training camp this upcoming season. 4 Rangers left wing Brett Berard celebrates with his teammates after he scores a goal during the first period at Madison Square Garden in New York on January 2, 2025. JASON SZENES FOR THE NEW YORK POST 'I'm confident. I feel like I'm confident in myself,' he said of the possibility. 'I really don't try to look at the roster, who's where. None of that. Anything can happen. I think just going into anything, going into life, tryouts, growing up going to baseball: You get one tryout. You get one first impression. 'Just do your best. That's kind of all. I'm a big believer of everything happens for a reason, so I feel like if I put myself in the best position I can, it'll be good.' Berard, who plans to be 100 percent ready for training camp, will presumably duke it out with fellow youngsters Brennan Othmann and Gabe Perreault for a roster spot. There may be only one up for grabs amongst the three, especially amid the additions of veterans Taylor Raddysh and Conor Sheary (PTO). 4 Brett Berard speaks to the media. Corey Sipkin for the NY POST Though a player like Sheary might have a leg up because of his history with new head coach Mike Sullivan, Berard is believed to have the skill set that will play well into the incoming system and preferred style of play. The Rhode Island native posted six goals in his 35 games with the Rangers last season, totaling 10 points and a minus-6 rating. It was his energy and speed, however, that seemed to positively impact the Rangers the most. In addition to rehabbing his shoulder this summer, Berard has put on some weight and chosen to spend his offseason in the tri-state area training with NHLers at Prentiss Hockey Performance in Stamford, Conn. He's been working with his Rangers teammates Adam Fox, Matt Rempe and Jonathan Quick. With a different-looking coaching staff waiting for him in training camp, Berard is harping on his first impression. You only get one, he said, noting that it'll be imperative for him to not take a single day off. 4 Rangers' Brett Berard participates in the third annual Shoulder Check hockey showcase game with more than 25 NHL hockey players at Terry Conners Rink on Thursday, July 24, 2025. Corey Sipkin for the NY POST 'I've talked to [Sullivan] a couple times, just being in the area, being at the gym, too,' Berard said. 'He's awesome. Everything I've heard about him is awesome. Super excited to get started. I think, for me, kind of not focusing on that stuff and if my game plays well into his game. I think I do things that he likes from his players. But yeah, for me, it's just continuing to play my game with confidence and bring my speed, my energy, tenacity and hockey sense to put it all together. 'I'm looking forward to the start of the year. Getting a taste of it last year, I know it's cliché, but just hungry for more. The opportunity that comes in September should be good, should be a lot of fun. Just put my best foot forward and see what happens.'
Hamilton Spectator
an hour ago
- Hamilton Spectator
Alex Michelsen continues run to quarterfinals of National Bank Open in Toronto
TORONTO - Alex Michelsen of the United States reached the quarterfinals of the men's National Bank Open in Toronto with a straight sets win over countryman Learner Tien. The 26th-seeded Michelsen swept Tien 6-3, 6-3 in their fourth-round match in the Masters 1000 tennis tournament. Michelsen continued to roll after ousting third seed Lorenzo Musetti of Italy from the tournament in a three-set win earlier in the week. Top seed Alexander Sverev of Germany was scheduled to face Francisco Cerundolo of Argentina in the featured match at night. Eighth-seed Casper Ruud of Norway versus Karen Khachanov of Russia was underway at Sobeys Stadium. Montreal's Gabriel Diallo was the last man standing in men's singles, but the Canadian was eliminated in a straight sets loss to second seed Taylor Fritz of the United States in the third round. This report by The Canadian Press was first published Aug. 2, 2025.
New York Post
an hour ago
- New York Post
Gary Bettman faces all-important question after Canadian Five's acquittal
The CBA, extended last month for four years, grants the NHL commissioner essentially unfettered power regarding off-ice discipline. If the NHLPA had issues with Article 18-A, the union should have addressed its concerns during the recent kumbaya negotiations, which apparently never touched larger systemic issues off the ice. Now, the union's words ring hollow in advance of Gary Bettman's decision whether to readmit the Canadian Five to the NHL after Carter Hart, Michael McLeod, Dillon Dube, Cal Foote and Alex Formenton were found not guilty on July 24 by Judge Maria Carroccia following their trial in Ontario, after being charged with sexually assaulting a woman in her London hotel room in June 2018 following a Hockey Canada event. In this case, not guilty does not equate to innocent. That is my opinion, just as it was the judge's opinion that the woman — known as E.M., whose identity is shielded by a publication ban — was not credible in her testimony. I am not an attorney and I am not conversant with Canadian law, but from the moment the judge refused to admit Brett Howden's texts into evidence, the verdict seemed inevitable. Advertisement Here's the language of Article 18-A.2:
