Connor McDavid | |||
---|---|---|---|
![]() McDavid with the Edmonton Oilers in 2015 | |||
Born | Richmond Hill, Ontario, Canada | January 13, 1997||
Height | 6 ft 1 in (185 cm) | ||
Weight | 193 lb (88 kg; 13 st 11 lb) | ||
Position | Centre | ||
Shoots | Left | ||
NHL team | Edmonton Oilers | ||
National team | ![]() | ||
NHL Draft | 1st overall, 2015 Edmonton Oilers | ||
Playing career | 2015–present |
Connor Andrew McDavid (born January 13, 1997) is a Canadian professional ice hockey centre and captain of the Edmonton Oilers of the National Hockey League (NHL). He is considered to be one of the best players in the world by many colleagues and members of the news media. [1] [2] [3] [4] [5]
Having been selected first overall by the Oilers in the 2015 NHL Entry Draft, McDavid has won the Art Ross Trophy twice as the leading scorer in the league, the Hart Memorial Trophy, given to the player judged most valuable to his team, in 2017, and the Ted Lindsay Award twice as the best player voted by other NHL players.
McDavid grew up in the Toronto area and played hockey there, and was granted "Exceptional Player" status by Hockey Canada, which allowed him to play major junior one year early. He thus joined the Erie Otters of the Ontario Hockey League (OHL) and spent three years with the Otters before the Oilers selected him in the 2015 NHL Entry Draft. Internationally McDavid played for the Canadian national junior team at one World U18 Championship, two World Junior Championships, and for the senior team at one World Championship, winning one gold at every level.
McDavid played minor ice hockey with the York-Simcoe Express of the Ontario Minor Hockey Association (OMHA) before moving to the Toronto Marlboros of the Greater Toronto Hockey League (GTHL), where he played bantam and minor midget hockey. He played in the 2009 Quebec International Pee-Wee Hockey Tournament as a member of York-Simcoe, and was a teammate of Sam Bennett. [6] In 2011–12 he recorded 79 goals and 130 assists for 209 points in 88 games at the minor midget level, and was named the GTHL Player of the Year. [7]
Because of his high level of play, McDavid was granted Exceptional Player status by Hockey Canada and was allowed to be entered in the 2012 OHL Priority Selection at age 15, a year earlier than he would have otherwise been eligible. [8] [9] He was the third player given that status; after John Tavares was granted it in 2005, followed by Aaron Ekblad in 2011. [7]
McDavid was selected first overall by the Erie Otters at the Priority Selection. [10] As the first overall selection, McDavid was awarded the Jack Ferguson Award. [11] Throughout his inaugural season, McDavid played on a line with Connor Brown. Starting in his second game of the season, McDavid recorded a point in 15 consecutive games, and was named the OHL Rookie of the Month for both October and November. [12] During a game against the Owen Sound Attack on March 9, 2013, McDavid recorded two assists, giving him 37 for the season and setting a new team record for assists by a rookie. He also tied Tim Connolly for most points by a first-year player, with 62. [13] In the team's final game of the season, March 16 against the Guelph Storm, McDavid recorded four assists, giving him 66 total points during the season and passing Connolly for the most points by an Otters rookie. [14] McDavid finished the season with the most assists by an OHL rookie with 41 and second in scoring for first-year players, with 66 points. [15] In recognition of his play, McDavid was awarded the Emms Family Award as the top rookie in the OHL, was a finalist for CHL Rookie of the Year, and was named to the OHL First All-Rookie Team. [12] Dallas Stars's general manager Jim Nill said of McDavid, "Well, he's a franchise player. Somebody is going to draft him and he's going to be the cornerstone of the franchise for 15 years, for 20 years. Those players only come along so often." [16]
Following his 2013–14 season, McDavid won the William Hanley Trophy (the OHL's most sportsmanlike player), [17] the Bobby Smith Trophy (OHL Scholastic Player of the Year), was named the CHL Scholastic Player of the Year, and named to the OHL Second All Star Team.
During training camp for the 2014–15 season, McDavid was named the captain of the Erie Otters. [18] McDavid had a strong start to the season before breaking his hand in an on ice fight on November 11, 2014. At the time, McDavid was leading the OHL in points, having scored 16 goals and 35 assists in 18 games. [19] McDavid missed six weeks of play as a result of his injury, returning to the ice to play for Canada at the 2015 World Junior Championships. He rejoined the Otters on January 8, 2015, scoring a goal in a 4–3 loss against the Sarnia Sting. [20] In the 47 games that McDavid played with the Otters during the 2014–15 regular season, he registered 44 goals and 76 assists, finishing third in OHL scoring. McDavid had a dominating performance during the OHL playoffs, scoring 21 goals and 28 assists and leading all players with 49 points (in comparison, Sault Ste. Marie Greyhounds player, Nick Ritchie, was second in playoff scoring with 26 points). He was awarded the Wayne Gretzky 99 Award as playoff MVP despite the fact that the Erie Otters were eliminated in 5 games in the OHL Championship by the Oshawa Generals. [21] New York Islanders captain, and former Oshawa General, John Tavares, was in attendance during Game 3 of the 2015 finals and said of McDavid: "I don't think I've ever seen anyone with that kind of acceleration — you think he's at top gear and there just always seems to be another level." [22]
Following the 2014–15 season, McDavid was awarded the Red Tilson Trophy for the OHL Player of the Year and was named CHL Player of the Year. [23] He is the most decorated player in OHL history. [24]
McDavid was drafted first overall in the 2015 NHL Entry Draft by the Edmonton Oilers. [25] On July 3, 2015, McDavid signed a three-year entry-level contract with the team. [26] He made his NHL debut on October 8, 2015, in a 3–1 loss to the St. Louis Blues. [27] McDavid scored his first goal (and point) four nights later against goaltender Kari Lehtonen, in a 4–2 loss to the Dallas Stars. [28] On November 3, 2015, he broke his clavicle during a game against the Philadelphia Flyers when he collided with Brandon Manning and caused him to miss the next 37 games. He returned to the line-up on February 2, 2016, scoring a goal and gaining two assists. [29] In his first game against his boyhood team, the Toronto Maple Leafs, McDavid had his first five-point night, recording a point on every goal in a 5–2 victory, including three assists (on three Jordan Eberle goals) and two goals. He finished third in voting for the Calder Memorial Trophy as the NHL's Rookie of the Year despite participating in only 45 games in his rookie season. [30]
On October 5, 2016, McDavid was named captain of the Oilers, making him the youngest captain in NHL history. [31] At 19 years and 266 days, McDavid was 20 days younger than Gabriel Landeskog when he was named captain of the Colorado Avalanche.
On November 19, 2016, in a game against the Dallas Stars, McDavid recorded his first career hat-trick in a 5–2 win ending a 10-game goal drought. [32] On January 18, McDavid recorded his 100th career point with an assist against the Florida Panthers, doing so in 92 games and becoming the fourth fastest active player to reach 100 points. McDavid finished the season with 30 goals, 70 assists, and 100 points, and won the Art Ross Trophy as the NHL's leading scorer. He was the third-youngest player to ever win the award; only Sidney Crosby and Wayne Gretzky were younger when they won. McDavid had 11 more points than the next highest scorers, Crosby and Patrick Kane. [33]
On July 5, 2017, McDavid signed an eight-year, $100 million extension with the Oilers. [34] The average annual value of $12.5 million per year is the highest in the NHL, surpassing the $10.5 million contracts held by Carey Price, Jonathan Toews and Patrick Kane. [35]
McDavid became the first Oiler in history to score a hat trick in an opening-night game, which took place on October 4, 2017 against the team's provincial rival, the Calgary Flames. [36] On January 13, 2018, McDavid scored his 200th point on an assist from Drake Caggiula's goal.
McDavid entered his second NHL All-Star Game in 2018, participating in two events. He became the first player to win the "Enterprise NHL Fastest Skater Competition" event back-to-back, with times of 13.310 in 2017, and 13.454 in 2018. [37]
In the 2017–18 season, McDavid scored his second, third, and fourth career hat tricks. [38] [39] [40] He also earned his first four-goal game, against the Tampa Bay Lightning, on February 5, 2018. [41] Despite the Oilers failing to qualify for the 2018 Stanley Cup playoffs, McDavid won the Art Ross Trophy for the second straight season, [42] and won the Ted Lindsay Award for the second consecutive time. [43] [44]
He scored 41 goals with 75 assists during the 2018–19 NHL season, good for second overall in the NHL in total points; however, the Oilers would once again miss the Stanley Cup playoffs.
![]() McDavid with Team Canada in 2016 | ||
Medal record | ||
---|---|---|
Representing ![]() | ||
Ice hockey | ||
World Championships | ||
![]() | 2016 Russia | |
World Junior Championships | ||
![]() | 2015 Canada | |
World U18 Championships | ||
![]() | 2013 Russia |
McDavid first played in an IIHF tournament in 2013 when he joined the Canadian under-18 team at the 2013 IIHF World U18 Championships in Sochi, Russia. The youngest player on the Canadian team, McDavid played his first game against Slovakia on April 18, where he recorded one goal and two assists. [15] After recording a hat trick against Sweden, McDavid was named the best Canadian player of the game. [45] [46] He led the tournament in goals and points while helping Canada win a gold medal for only the third time since the tournament's inception in 1999, defeating the four-time defending champion, the United States, in the final. Jim Nill, then chief scout for the Detroit Red Wings, said of his performance that, "I guess you could say he is kind of The Next One. Every so many years [a player arrives like] Gretzky, Lemieux. I think he is making a statement. Is he [the next Sidney] Crosby? I think he is the next guy." [47]
McDavid played for Canada at the 2014 World Junior Championship where the team finished fourth. He also represented Canada in the 2015 World Junior Championship in Toronto and Montreal where they won gold on January 5, 2015. He served as one of the two alternate captains for the team. In the 7 games McDavid played at the tournament he scored 3 goals and a tournament-leading 8 assists. He was named to the tournament all-star team. [48]
He won gold playing for Canada at the 2016 World Hockey Championship.
In the 2016 World Cup of Hockey he was captain of Team North America, composed of players age 23 and under from Canada and the United States. [49]
McDavid and teammates Ryan Nugent-Hopkins and Darnell Nurse were part of Team Canada's 2018 IIHF World Championship roster, with McDavid serving as captain of the team. [50] Canada finished fourth in the tournament.
McDavid was born in 1997 in Richmond Hill, Ontario [51] to Brian and Kelly McDavid. He has an older brother named Cameron. McDavid first skated at age 3, and the next year he started playing hockey; his parents lied about his age because participants were required to be 5 years old. [52] When McDavid was 6, the hockey association in his hometown of Newmarket would not let him play above his age group. Instead of having him play in the lower level, McDavid's parents enrolled him with a team in nearby Aurora, where he played against players as old as 9. [53] McDavid later joined the York-Simcoe Express, a team in Aurora, Ontario, where he was coached by his father, Brian; the team would win four Ontario Minor Hockey Association championships. [53]
The decision to leave the York Simcoe Express in 2011 to join the Toronto Marlboros, according to McDavid, came at a personal cost [54] with both him and his parents losing friends over the decision.
McDavid considered attending Boston University and playing hockey for their team, the Terriers, but decided it would be best for his development to play in the OHL. [55]
Being from Southern Ontario, McDavid followed various sporting teams in the area. His favourite team growing up was the Toronto Maple Leafs, but he also followed the Toronto Raptors and Toronto Blue Jays. [56] [57] In addition to the Maple Leafs, McDavid was also a fan of the Pittsburgh Penguins due to the presence of his favourite player Sidney Crosby. [58] In 2015, McDavid said his most comparable NHL player was then-Maple Leafs centre Tyler Bozak due to his good skating and "pass first" mentality. [59]
On October 5, 2020, McDavid tested positive for COVID-19 amid its pandemic in Canada. [60] In November 2020, photos of the Edmonton house McDavid built with his interior designer girlfriend Lauren Kyle went viral on Twitter [61] after being published in an Edmonton-based magazine, Edify, in July 2020. [62]
In November 2020, McDavid and his dog Lenny appeared in the music video for country singer Brett Kissel's A Few Good Stories with Walk off the Earth. [63]
Bold indicates led league
Regular season | Playoffs | |||||||||||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Season | Team | League | GP | G | A | Pts | PIM | GP | G | A | Pts | PIM | ||
2011–12 | Toronto Marlboros | GTHL U16 AAA | 88 | 79 | 130 | 209 | — | — | — | — | — | — | ||
2011–12 | Toronto Marlboros | GTHL U16 | 33 | 27 | 50 | 77 | 14 | — | — | — | — | — | ||
2012–13 | Erie Otters | OHL | 63 | 25 | 41 | 66 | 36 | — | — | — | — | — | ||
2013–14 | Erie Otters | OHL | 57 | 28 | 71 | 99 | 20 | 14 | 4 | 15 | 19 | 2 | ||
2014–15 | Erie Otters | OHL | 47 | 44 | 76 | 120 | 48 | 20 | 21 | 28 | 49 | 12 | ||
2015–16 | Edmonton Oilers | NHL | 45 | 16 | 32 | 48 | 18 | — | — | — | — | — | ||
2016–17 | Edmonton Oilers | NHL | 82 | 30 | 70 | 100 | 26 | 13 | 5 | 4 | 9 | 2 | ||
2017–18 | Edmonton Oilers | NHL | 82 | 41 | 67 | 108 | 26 | — | — | — | — | — | ||
2018–19 | Edmonton Oilers | NHL | 78 | 41 | 75 | 116 | 20 | — | — | — | — | — | ||
2019–20 | Edmonton Oilers | NHL | 64 | 34 | 63 | 97 | 28 | 4 | 5 | 4 | 9 | 2 | ||
NHL totals | 351 | 162 | 307 | 469 | 118 | 17 | 10 | 8 | 18 | 4 |
Year | Team | Event | Result | GP | G | A | Pts | PIM | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
2013 | Canada | U18 | ![]() | 7 | 8 | 6 | 14 | 2 | |
2014 | Canada | WJC | 4th | 7 | 1 | 3 | 4 | 4 | |
2015 | Canada | WJC | ![]() | 7 | 3 | 8 | 11 | 0 | |
2016 | Canada | WC | ![]() | 10 | 1 | 8 | 9 | 6 | |
2016 | Team North America | WCH | 5th | 3 | 0 | 3 | 3 | 4 | |
2018 | Canada | WC | 4th | 10 | 5 | 12 | 17 | 10 | |
Junior totals | 21 | 12 | 17 | 29 | 6 | ||||
Senior totals | 23 | 6 | 23 | 29 | 20 |
Award | Year | |
---|---|---|
CHL / OHL | ||
Jack Ferguson Award – Top Pick in OHL Priority Selection Draft | 2012 | |
Emms Family Award – Rookie of the Year | 2013 | |
First All-Rookie Team | 2013 | |
Bobby Smith Trophy – Scholastic Player of the Year | 2014, 2015 | |
William Hanley Trophy – Most Sportsmanlike Player | 2014 | [64] |
CHL Scholastic Player of the Year | 2014, 2015 | |
Red Tilson Trophy – Most Outstanding Player | 2015 | [65] |
First All-Star Team | 2015 | [66] |
CHL Top Draft Prospect Award | 2015 | |
CHL Player of the Year | 2015 | [67] |
NHL | ||
Rookie of the Month | October 2015 February 2016 March 2016 | [68] |
NHL All-Rookie Team | 2016 | |
NHL All-Star Game | 2017, 2018, 2019, 2020 | |
Art Ross Trophy | 2017, 2018 | |
Hart Memorial Trophy | 2017 | |
Ted Lindsay Award | 2017, 2018 | |
NHL First All-Star Team | 2017, 2018, 2019 | [69] |
EA Sports NHL cover athlete | 2018 | |
International | ||
IIHF World U18 Championship – Tournament MVP | 2013 | |
IIHF World U18 Championship – Best Forward | 2013 | |
IIHF World U18 Championship – Scoring Leader | 2013 | |
IIHF World U20 Championship – Tournament All-Star Team | 2015 |
The Erie Otters are a Major junior ice hockey team based in Erie, Pennsylvania. They are members of the Midwest division of the Ontario Hockey League (OHL), one of only three American teams in the circuit. The team name refers to the North American river otter common to Lake Erie.
Sheldon Keefe, is a Canadian professional ice hockey coach and former player. He is the current head coach of the Toronto Maple Leafs of the National Hockey League. His younger brother Adam Keefe is the current head coach of the Belfast Giants of the EIHL.
John Tavares is a Canadian professional ice hockey centre and captain of the Toronto Maple Leafs of the National Hockey League (NHL). He was selected first overall by the New York Islanders in the 2009 NHL Entry Draft, where he spent nine seasons and served as captain for five seasons.
Sam William Gagner is a Canadian professional ice hockey player currently playing for the Detroit Red Wings of the National Hockey League (NHL).
There are numerous sports teams in Erie, Pennsylvania, all of which are minor league. There are also numerous college sports teams along with high school teams. Pennsylvania Interscholastic Athletic Association District 10 high school sports are played in the area, often with close results due to the even distribution of athletic talent. Throughout history, Erie has had various semi-pro and professional sports teams. The city hosts the nationally recognized McDonald's Classic.
Taylor Strba Hall is a Canadian professional ice hockey left winger currently playing for the Buffalo Sabres of the National Hockey League (NHL). He was the first overall pick in the 2010 NHL Entry Draft selected by the Edmonton Oilers.
Nazem Samir Kadri is a Canadian professional ice hockey centre for the Colorado Avalanche of the National Hockey League (NHL). He was drafted by the Toronto Maple Leafs seventh overall in the 2009 NHL Entry Draft. He played his junior career in the Ontario Hockey League (OHL), first with the Kitchener Rangers and then the London Knights. He won the J. Ross Robertson Cup with Kitchener and was part of the Rangers team that lost to the Spokane Chiefs in the final of the 2008 Memorial Cup. Kadri has also represented Canada internationally at the 2010 World Junior Championships, where the team received the silver medal after losing the final to the United States 6–5.
The 2011–12 OHL season was the 32nd season of the Ontario Hockey League. Twenty teams played 68 games each during the regular season schedule, which started on September 21, 2011 and ended on March 18, 2012. The playoffs began on Thursday March 22, 2012 and concluded on Friday May 11, 2012. The London Knights won the J. Ross Robertson Cup for the second time in franchise history. London secured a berth in the 2012 Memorial Cup hosted by the Shawinigan Cataractes of the QMJHL.
Aaron Ekblad is a Canadian professional ice hockey defenceman and alternate captain for the Florida Panthers in the National Hockey League (NHL). Ekblad was selected first overall in the 2011 Ontario Hockey League (OHL) entry draft, and he was selected first overall by the Florida Panthers in the 2014 NHL Entry Draft. In his first NHL season, Ekblad was selected for the 2015 NHL All-Star Game and earned the Calder Memorial Trophy as the league's best rookie in the 2014–15 season.
Brendan Gaunce is a Canadian professional ice hockey forward who is currently playing with the Vaxjo Lakers in the Swedish Hockey League. He was drafted 26th overall in the 2012 NHL Entry Draft by the Vancouver Canucks. His older brother, Cameron Gaunce, currently plays in the Tampa Bay Lightning organization.
Andreas Athanasiou is a Canadian professional ice hockey forward for the Los Angeles Kings of the National Hockey League (NHL). Athanasiou was drafted 110th overall by the Detroit Red Wings in the 2012 NHL Entry Draft.
The 2013–14 OHL season was the 34th season of the Ontario Hockey League. The Brampton Battalion relocated to North Bay and became the North Bay Battalion, playing at the North Bay Memorial Gardens. The first two outdoor games in OHL history were held this season, when the Saginaw Spirit, Windsor Spitfires, Plymouth Whalers, and London Knights played at Comerica Park in Detroit, Michigan as part of the Hockeytown Winter Festival on December 29. On March 11, 2014 Terry Trafford of the Saginaw Spirit, who had been missing for eight days, was found dead in his vehicle at a Wal-Mart in Saginaw, Michigan. His death was ruled a suicide as a result of self-inflicted asphyxiation. Twenty teams played 68 games each according to the regular season schedule, from September 19, 2013 to March 17, 2014. The Guelph Storm won the J. Ross Robertson Cup for the third time in franchise history, and the first time since 2004, as they defeated the North Bay Battalion in five games, and represented the OHL at the 2014 Memorial Cup held at Budweiser Gardens in London, Ontario. The London Knights also qualified for the tournament as the host team.
Bowie William "Bo" Horvat is a Canadian professional ice hockey centre and captain of the Vancouver Canucks of the National Hockey League (NHL).
The 2014–15 OHL season was the 35th season of the Ontario Hockey League, in which twenty teams played 68 games each according to the regular season schedule, from September 24, 2014 to March 22, 2015. The Niagara IceDogs began play at their new arena, the Meridian Centre. The Ottawa 67's returned to TD Place Arena after a two-year hiatus due to a renovation. Brian Kilrea returned to coach the Ottawa 67's for one game on October 17, becoming the oldest coach in league history.
Connor Brown is a Canadian professional ice hockey right winger currently playing for the Ottawa Senators of the National Hockey League (NHL). Brown was selected by the Toronto Maple Leafs in the sixth round, 156th overall, of the 2012 NHL Entry Draft. Brown played for the Erie Otters in the Ontario Hockey League (OHL) from 2011 until 2014, then for the American Hockey League (AHL)'s Toronto Marlies for the better part of two seasons before joining the Toronto Maple Leafs full-time in the 2016–17 season.
Dylan William Strome is a Canadian professional ice hockey centre for the Chicago Blackhawks of the National Hockey League (NHL). Ahead of the 2015 NHL Entry Draft, Strome was considered a top prospect, and was selected third overall by the Arizona Coyotes. He is the brother of New York Rangers forward Ryan Strome and Philadelphia Flyers prospect Matthew Strome.
Mitchell Marner is a Canadian professional ice hockey right winger and alternate captain for the Toronto Maple Leafs of the National Hockey League (NHL). Marner was born in Markham, Ontario, and grew up in Thornhill. He was selected fourth overall by the Maple Leafs in the 2015 NHL Entry Draft.
Travis Dermott is a Canadian professional ice hockey defenceman currently playing for the Toronto Maple Leafs of the National Hockey League (NHL). Before turning professional, Dermott was rated as a top prospect who was projected as a possible first round pick in the 2015 NHL Entry Draft. He was ultimately selected in the second round, 34th overall, by the Maple Leafs.
Alexander DeBrincat is an American professional ice hockey right winger for the Chicago Blackhawks of the National Hockey League (NHL). He was selected by the Blackhawks with the 39th overall pick in the 2016 NHL Entry Draft.
Sherwood "Sherry" Bassin is a Canadian ice hockey executive known primarily for 36 years of involvement in the Ontario Hockey League as a general manager, team owner and coach. Bassin successfully turned franchises around, and his teams won five J. Ross Robertson Cups, and appeared in six Memorial Cup tournaments, winning once. Bassin helped the Canadian National junior team win its first gold medal in 1982, and another in 1985. He was twice named OHL Executive of the Year and CHL Executive of the Year, and briefly worked for the Quebec Nordiques.
TSN’s Top 50 poll nearly mirrored a preseason consensus from NHL players. In an anonymous player poll conducted at the Player Media Tour in Chicago, 27 of 32 players said McDavid is the best player in the game right now.
McDavid (6); Crosby (3)
Awards and achievements | ||
---|---|---|
Preceded by Aaron Ekblad | Jack Ferguson Award 2012 | Succeeded by Travis Konecny |
Preceded by Aaron Ekblad | Winner of the Emms Family Award 2013 | Succeeded by Travis Konecny |
Preceded by Patrick Kane | Art Ross Trophy winner 2017, 2018 | Succeeded by Nikita Kucherov |
Preceded by Patrick Kane | Hart Memorial Trophy winner 2017 | Succeeded by Taylor Hall |
Preceded by Patrick Kane | Ted Lindsay Award winner 2017, 2018 | Succeeded by Nikita Kucherov |
Preceded by Vladimir Tarasenko | EA Sports NHL Cover Athlete NHL 18 | Succeeded by P.K. Subban |
Preceded by Aaron Ekblad | NHL first overall draft pick 2015 | Succeeded by Auston Matthews |
Preceded by Leon Draisaitl | Edmonton Oilers first round draft pick 2015 | Succeeded by Jesse Puljujärvi |
Sporting positions | ||
Preceded by Andrew Ference | Edmonton Oilers captain 2016–present | Succeeded by |