Oilers’ Connor McDavid wins Conn Smythe after historic playoff despite Stanley Cup Final loss

Despite putting together one of the best statistical performances in NHL playoff history, Connor McDavid and the Oilers came up short of their ultimate goal, losing the Stanley Cup Final to the Florida Panthers in seven games. And while it wasn’t the end that Edmonton’s captain or the team wanted, McDavid was honored by the league for his postseason play, winning the Conn Smythe Trophy as the most valuable player of the Stanley Cup playoffs.

McDavid was not on the ice to accept the award after the Oilers’ 2-1 loss to the Panthers.

“We fought an uphill climb for months, and it just sucks,” McDavid said of the loss. “(I’ll remember) the resilience of the group. We went through a lot. Ups and downs. And we came that close.”

In 25 playoff games, McDavid recorded eight goals and 34 assists. His 42 points put him fourth in the most points for a playoff year. McDavid joins Wayne Gretzky and Mario Lemieux as the only players to record over 40 points in a single playoff.

Adding to the accomplishment, McDavid becomes just the sixth player in NHL history — and the second skater after Reggie Leach captured the award in 1976 — to win the Conn Smythe on the losing team in the Stanley Cup Final. Before McDavid, the last time this occurred was Jean-Sebastien Giguere in 2003 with the Anaheim Mighty Ducks.

A performance for the ages. 👏

With an incredible 42 points in 25 pic.twitter.com/P3qw9Pv7bE

— NHL (@NHL) June 25, 2024

McDavid set many records during this Oilers playoff run. He is the new leader in most assists in a single playoff season (34) after surpassing Gretzky’s 31 in Game 5 of the Stanley Cup Final.

With the Oilers down 3-0 to the Panthers, McDavid played a leading role in getting Edmonton back in the series. In Games 4 and 5, McDavid tallied four points in both contests, becoming the first player to record consecutive four-point games in the Stanley Cup Final. That brings McDavid’s point total when facing elimination in a single final to a record eight, surpassing Don Metz and Syl Apps.

And it is not just in the final when McDavid has excelled with his team facing elimination. In Games 6 and 7 against the Vancouver Canucks in the second round, McDavid had three assists over two games. His record 11 points are the most when facing elimination during a single playoff. No active player has more points in a single Stanley Cup Final than McDavid.

Drafted No. 1 by the Oilers in 2015, McDavid has a plethora of accolades and accomplishments. He’s a three-time Hart Memorial Trophy winner, a five-time first-team All-Star, a five-time winner of the Art Ross Trophy, a Rocket Richard Trophy winner (2022-23) and a four-time recipient of the Ted Lindsay Award. When he won the Hart in 2021 — posting 33 goals and 72 assists in 56 games — McDavid became the second player to win the award unanimously.

Now McDavid has added a Conn Smythe to his illustrious trophy case. McDavid joins Giguere, Leach, Ron Hextall, Glenn Hall and Roger Crozier to win the Conn Smythe on the losing Stanley Cup Final team.

The Panthers defeated the Oilers to capture their first Stanley Cup in franchise history. The Oilers’ loss continues a streak of Canadian-based teams not winning the Stanley Cup since 1993.

McDavid’s playoffs are secured in the annals of NHL history. Despite not lifting the Stanley Cup this season, his legacy is cemented as one of hockey’s all-time greats.

Required reading

(Photo: Peter Joneleit / Icon Sportswire via Getty Images)