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Connor McDavid Responds to Historic Comparison with Wayne Gretzky, Sidney Crosby

Originally posted on Athlon Sports | By Antonio Losada | Last updated Jun 4, 2025 6:51 AM ET

The Edmonton Oilers are four wins away from reversing last year’s Game 7 loss to the Florida Panthers and capturing their first Stanley Cup since 1990.

As they prepare for a rare finals rematch not seen since the 2008-09 postseasons, much of the attention has turned to Connor McDavid and the historical parallels he could share with two of the sport’s all-time greats.

Both Wayne Gretzky and Sidney Crosby lost in their first trip to the Stanley Cup Final, only to return the next year and win the Cup against the same opponent they initially lost to.

Gretzky did it in 1984 against the New York Islanders, while Crosby won the championship in 2009 after losing to the Detroit Red Wings the year before.

"We're looking to finish the job."#Oilers captain Connor McDavid speaks during Stanley Cup Final Media Day ahead of tomorrow's Game 1 against the Panthers.@Enterprise | #LetsGoOilers pic.twitter.com/4RzWhxfKqf
— Edmonton Oilers (@EdmontonOilers) June 3, 2025

McDavid has that same opportunity in front of him now, but the Oilers captain wasn’t interested in those comparisons when asked about them on Tuesday's media availability.

"I see, obviously, the parallels that everyone wants to write about," McDavid said Tuesday. "At the end of the day, this is a different story.

"Different teams, different group. Just excited to have another kick at the can here. That’s all."

Despite losing the finals last season after pulling off a three-game comeback before falling short of the championship in Game 7, McDavid won the Conn Smythe as the most valuable player of the playoffs while setting a postseason record with 34 assists.

Reflecting on the 2024 loss to the Panthers, McDavid admitted the experience has helped ground the team this time around, removing some pressure and emotions from the players.

"I would say it’s just dealing with the emotion of it [better]," McDavid said. "It can feel like it’s larger than it is, but at the end of the day, it’s another series.

"We’re playing another great team, and you’ve got to beat them before anything else happens."

Game 1 is scheduled for Wednesday night in Edmonton, with puck drop set at 8 p.m. ET.

This article first appeared on Athlon Sports and was syndicated with permission.

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