Connor McDavid’s achievements are outstanding.
Many, including myself, already consider him one of the greatest players in history. Never has a player been so fast, and rarely has a player been so talented.
At the start of the upcoming season, the Oilers’ number 97 will become the third fastest player to reach 1,000 career points, after Wayne Gretzky and Mario Lemieux. Additionally, McDavid is one of six players to have won the scoring championship (Art Ross Trophy) at least five times.
McDavid’s career is far from over.
To fully understand the extent of his performances, I would like to convey that McDavid currently maintains a pace that would allow him to reach 2,000 points by the end of his career. Only Gretzky (2857) has reached this milestone.
However, McDavid’s problem is that he has never led the Oilers to a championship. The Oilers’ superstar has not only failed to win the Stanley Cup, but has also never reached the final. This year marks only the second time the Oilers have reached the final four. In 2022, McDavid and the Oilers lost in four games to the Colorado Avalanche.
Nevertheless, McDavid still accumulated many points in the spring tournament. Furthermore, his average points per game in the playoffs ranks him fourth in history among players who have played at least 60 games.
On the other hand, the perception remains the same. McDavid is in a league of his own, but has yet to help his team win the Stanley Cup, as the greatest in history have done, like Wayne Gretzky, Mario Lemieux, Bobby Orr, Gordie Howe, and Sidney.
Alexander Ovechkin also carried this label for a long time. When he led the Washington Capitals to the Stanley Cup in 2018 and won the Conn Smythe Trophy, he was revered and achieved peace.
Now at 27 years old, McDavid, in my opinion, can count on the best team the Oilers have assembled around him since his arrival in the NHL. They have more experience and more depth. Now they have to hope that goalie Stuart Skinner can hold on and limit the damage in front of the net.
If the Oilers and McDavid do not win the Stanley Cup this year, when will they? I ask because I believe time is running out in Edmonton. Next year is the final year of Leon Draisaitl’s contract. Does he want to stay in Edmonton? If not, the Oilers will have a decision to make, and the face of the Oilers would not be the same.
Prior to the start of the playoffs, I predicted the Stanley Cup for the Oilers and I stand by my choice, even though it is far from certain. To allow McDavid to have the same status as hockey’s greatest, I hope the Oilers go all the way.