Connor McDavid to win Conn Smythe even if Oilers don't win the Stanley Cup?
Photo credit: Screenshot
According to a new report, Connor McDavid could win the Conn Smythe Trophy even if the Edmonton Oilers don't win the Stanley Cup.
McDavid, despite his drought in the first few games of the Stanley Cup Finals against the Florida Panthers, still leads the NHL in points, with 38.
In game 4, he even managed to beat Wayne Gretzky's record for the most assists in a postseason run:
"McDavid's assist is his 32nd of the playoffs, breaking Wayne Gretzky's record."
As the Oilers prepare to face elimination for the second straight game, debates for the Conn Smythe Trophy are heating up. For the first time since 2003, a member of the Stanley Cup Finals' losing team could win the MVP award.
Connor McDavid to win the Conn Smythe Trophy despite Stanley Cup Finals results?
ESPN's Greg Wyshynski highlighted in a recent paper that only five players from losing teams won the award in NHL history.
Four of them were goalies: Roger Crozier, with the Detroit Red Wings (1966); Glenn Hall, St. Louis Blues (1968); Ron Hextall, Philadelphia Flyers (1987); and Jean-Sebastien Giguere, with the Anaheim Ducks (2003).
The only skater who won it was Reggie Leach in 1976. With the Philadelphia Flyers, he was swept from the Finals by the Montreal Canadiens.
Connor McDavid, like Leach, leads the NHL in points, produced most of his team's offense, and he's still a top contender with the Panthers having more than one candidate; with Aleksander Barkov and Sergei Bobrovsky.
McDavid's teammates opened up about that possibility. Check out their comments:
Brett Kulak: "For sure. He's the one guy who consistently brings elite-level play every game for us. Maybe people on the outside looking in might not see everything he's doing, but we feel his contributions and his impact on the team every single night. He always brings that extra gear."
Dylan Holloway: "I think so. I mean, anytime you beat Gretzky's record, it's pretty special. He's been unbelievable so far for us. He's such a great leader. So I think so, yeah."
Zach Hyman: "Any time our team's backs are against the wall, he's the first guy to push back," Hyman said. "For us to come back, he's got to be the best. He seems to always be the best when we're in these situations."
Dylan Holloway: "I think so. I mean, anytime you beat Gretzky's record, it's pretty special. He's been unbelievable so far for us. He's such a great leader. So I think so, yeah."
Zach Hyman: "Any time our team's backs are against the wall, he's the first guy to push back," Hyman said. "For us to come back, he's got to be the best. He seems to always be the best when we're in these situations."
Do you think Connor McDavid will win the Conn Smythe Trophy even if the Edmonton Oilers don't win the Stanley Cup?
| POLL | ||
JUIN 18 | 230 ANSWERS Connor McDavid to win Conn Smythe even if Oilers don't win the Stanley Cup? Do you think Connor McDavid will win the Conn Smythe Trophy even if the Edmonton Oilers don't win the Stanley Cup? | ||
| Yes | 163 | 70.9 % |
| No | 67 | 29.1 % |
| List of polls | ||
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