Oilers GM Stan Bowman on Connor McDavid: ‘He’s on a mission’ to win Stanley Cup

A debilitating loss can crumble a person’s confidence. For Edmonton Oilers captain Connor McDavid, last year’s loss in the Stanley Cup Final to the Florida Panthers has only driven him to win even more.

That sentiment was shared on Tuesday during the Final media day by Oilers general manager Stan Bowman. He stated that McDavid’s sole focus this season was to finish the job following last year’s heartbreaking loss in Game 7.

“The first time I talked to Connor, I went to see him in the summer after I started,” Bowman said. “He talked about… ‘I just want to win the Cup.’ That was it. He didn’t talk about anything else. So this is his singular focus.”

The Oilers are in the final in back-to-back seasons for the first time since the Wayne Gretzky-led Oilers won the Cup in 1988. McDavid has already done a lot in the NHL, including winning the Conn Smythe Trophy last year. Yet, Bowman recognizes that McDavid’s trophy case will seem empty without Lord Stanley.

“He has accomplished everything you could accomplish individually in this sport. He continues to dazzle us every game, every round, makes a difference, incredibly motivated and driven to win. You run out of superlatives to talk about him as a player and describe what he does on the ice. I think the thing that’s equally impressive is the way he is driving our team with his determination and there’s no one else you want to go to battle with than someone like that.”

Bowman explained how McDavid’s leadership, both on and off the ice, has inspired Edmonton to believe it can be a Stanley Cup contender.

“He’s our leader. Not only is he impressive with what he can do on the ice, but his focus in driving us. So, you could see how bad he wanted it last year when it didn’t go Edmonton’s way in Game 7. Right now, he’s on a mission.”

Game 1 of the Stanley Cup Final is set for Wednesday night. Puck drop is scheduled for a little after 8 p.m. ET.