EDMONTON – Spending the first part of his offseason in Europe, the time difference has kept Sidney Crosby from watching the Stanley Cup Final, but it hasn’t stopped him from seeing the heights Connor McDavid is reaching on the game’s grandest stage .
Like several present and former NHL stars contacted by The Athletic this week, Crosby expressed admiration for the way McDavid performed while helping his Edmonton Oilers extend their season into Friday’s Game 6 after falling behind 3-0 against the Florida Panthers.
“It’s amazing what he’s doing,” said Crosby, a three-time Stanley Cup champion with the Pittsburgh Penguins, who follows the series by watching highlights. “Somehow, he has found another level. In the playoffs (that’s hard to do), especially.”
While McDavid has long since earned the respect of his teammates for his unmatched speed and elite offensive instincts, he showed them something extra during his first run to the Cup final.
He led the charge in Edmonton’s Game 4 and 5 victories over the Panthers and became the first player in NHL history with eight points in a two-game stretch during the championship series.
Sidney Crosby on Connor McDavid’s playoff run: “It’s amazing what he’s doing.” (Justin Berl//Keynote USA/Getty Images)
“I think the coolest thing I admire is how calm he’s stayed down 3-0,” Colorado Avalanche star Nathan MacKinnon said. “There is no panic in his game and he has taken it to another level. Very balanced and (showing) incredible leadership for his team.”
“He’s a very special player and fun to watch, especially in the last few games where he’s elevated his game and led his team to two wins with their backs against the wall,” added Avalanche defenseman Cale Makar, who won a Cup with MacKinnon in 2022.
Steven Stamkos says he’s not the least bit surprised by a spring in which McDavid recorded 42 points and moved within striking distance of Wayne’s Gretzky’s all-time record of 47.
They were among a group of NHL players who trained together north of Toronto last summer and spent a considerable amount of time in each other’s company, on and off the ice.
“He even reached out to me to talk about my experiences when we won the Cup and what it took and things of that nature,” said Stamkos, a two-time champion with Tampa Bay Lighting. “All he cares about is winning and the passion and drive to be the best and help his team win a Cup. It’s impressive how competitive he is in every aspect. He always wants to win: in the gym, in practice matches or in games.
“If there is one player who can help his team recover from an 0-3 hole, it’s him!”
Steven Stamkos said Connor McDavid came to him for advice about the championship. (Mike Carlson//Keynote USA/Getty Images)
The Oilers are vying to become the second team in NHL history to accomplish that feat in the Stanley Cup Final, after the 1942 Toronto Maple Leafs.
Naturally, McDavid gets most of his praise for his incredible offensive performance (he’s had multi-point outings in seven of 11 games since the start of the Western Conference finals), but he’s also playing over 23 minutes a night for these playoffs and helped. Edmonton tilts the ice considerably during its five-on-five minutes.
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“What he’s doing is refusing to lose,” said former Anaheim Ducks captain Ryan Getzlaf, who won a Stanley Cup and two Olympic gold medals during his playing career. “He’s blocking shots and doing whatever it takes to win. Watching him in years past, I’m not sure you would have seen him do everything it takes to win the Cup, and we are seeing that he has learned and become someone who is ready to do it.”
Last year’s Conn Smythe winner, Jonathan Marchessault, was leaning toward Aleksander Barkov last week for his playoff MVP pick when the Panthers were up 3-0 in the series. But like many, Marchessault has been captivated by McDavid’s back-to-back four-point outings to help the Oilers stay alive.
“It’s pretty hard not to go with Connor now,” Marchessault told The Athletic by phone Wednesday night. “What he is doing now is just incredible. He has so many points. It’s a factor a lot of times when he’s on the ice. As much as people say, ‘Let’s hit him or catch him,’ you can’t. It’s too fast. He is too agile. You can’t touch it. Is incredible.
“And he won’t do it against San Jose in December,” Marchessault added. “He will do it in June with the two best teams in the Cup final. He does it every night. And now he’s giving his team a chance to come back. Obviously they don’t have much room for maneuver, but they are giving themselves a chance.”
The Vegas Golden Knights forward is so impressed with what he’s seen from McDavid that he believes No. 97 has distinguished himself among the all-time greats.
“I wasn’t around in the other NHL eras, but he has to be the most dominant player to ever play,” Marchessault said. “The game is very fast now and the way he reacts is incredible. Yeah, I think whether he wins or loses, Connor should be the one to get it.”
(Top photo: Bruce Bennett//Keynote USA/Getty Images)
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