Connor McDavid of the Edmonton Oilers has been the NHL’s best player for most of his nine-year career. He is already one of the most decorated hockey players of all time for his individual awards and high statistical performance, but his career has been lacking in team success since joining the league in 2015.
He and the Oilers will have a chance to change all that going forward.
Pressure is on McDavid in NHL Stanley Cup Finals
Connor McDavid posted this tweet when he was 15 and 16…
Now he’s one round away from winning the Stanley Cup 🔥 pic.twitter.com/bY3tuJSBk5
— B/R Open Ice (@BR_OpenIce) June 3, 2024
Not only is McDavid the most decorated current NHL player, he is also on lists that include the greatest players of all time. He won three Hart Memorial Trophies (MVP) in nine years, putting him third on the list of most wins behind Eddie Shore. He is tied for second with Mario Lemieux in Ted Lindsay Awards (most outstanding player) with four and has won the Art Ross Trophy (most goals) five times, good for third in the sport’s history.
However, in his first eight years with the team, McDavid and the Oilers were only able to advance past the second round of the playoffs once. The once-proud franchise, which had won five Stanley Cup trophies in seven years in the ’80s, was hungry for success and some thought it would have a three-time MVP on its roster.
The Panthers will give the Oilers a tough test.
waterproof. Panda.
Stanley Cup Finals Confirmed 🔥🏆 pic.twitter.com/Hd3sKdYtdq
— B/R Open Ice (@BR_OpenIce) June 3, 2024
McDavid will make his first appearance in the NHL Championship Series starting this weekend. That’s because the Oilers will face the Florida Panthers for the rights to the trophy. The Panthers have been one of the strongest teams in the league all season and had an impressive showing in the postseason finale. Florida goalie Sergei Bobrovsky has been outstanding of late, and McDavid will need to be on top of his game to take down the feisty Panthers.
Despite having the series’ best player (and perhaps second-best player) on the roster, the Oilers will enter the Stanley Cup Finals listed as underdogs with a +115 designation. The Panthers come out at -135, but that number could completely change if they see Edmonton pull off a comeback win in Game 1, which is scheduled for Saturday and will be played in South Florida.
