Oilers Connor McDavid cancels his bachelor party due to heartbreak

Each and every year in the NHL is exciting, but for Edmonton Oilers' captain Connor McDavid, this season feels unlike any other. The big number 97 was, only a few months ago, one goal away from the lifelong dream, the Stanley Cup. And with the final buzzer sounding in Game 7 to seal the championship win for the Florida Panthers, McDavid made his way around the ice alone as the rest of his teammates went toward the dressing room, a display of every ounce of leadership. Despite that heartbreak, his incredible performance throughout the playoffs earned him the Conn Smythe as the most valuable player.

And in a symbolic gesture, McDavid avoided stepping onto Florida's ice to accept it.

As the 2024-25 season nears, McDavid looks back at what was both a whirlwind and heart-wrenching offseason. Aside from the camp preparation for the new season, he celebrated his personal milestones, such as his marriage to Lauren Kyle and their honeymoon.

McDavid was so heartbroken he even canceled a massive European bachelor party he had planned and opted to take a more relaxing retreat to the Bahamas before he eventually got married. He was simply in no mood to party following such a devastating loss. Yet, even with those moments, the sting of coming so close to victory still lingers. McDavid acknowledged the pain of falling short in the Stanley Cup Final is never gone.

In this season, both McDavid and the Edmonton Oilers have just one thing in mind: to be back in the Stanley Cup Final and to finish the job. Still fueled from last season's near-miss, McDavid had to change his offseason training pattern by focusing on not only improving his skills but also making sure he prepares physically and mentally for the grueling campaign ahead. Now, rest and recovery are highlights in his training regime so that he is at the top of his shape to chase the championship.

On the ice, there's a sense of determination from McDavid to move past last summer's heartbreak. He's spoken that any season that doesn't end with him hoisting the Stanley Cup will be another missed opportunity. The only way for McDavid to truly overcome last season's disappointment is to have his name engraved on hockey's most coveted prize.

The team and its fans head into a new season with a fresh sense of hope and expectation. Finally, with Connor McDavid's refocused energies in leadership, the feeling is this could be the year they go all the way.