On Facebook
On Flipboard
On Twitter
There is no doubt that when all is said and done, Edmonton Oilers superstar Connor McDavid is going to end up in the Hockey Hall of Fame.
Let’s take a look at what McDavid, 28, has accomplished so far:
- Five Art Ross Trophies as the league’s leading scorer (2017, 2018, 2021, 2022, and 2023)
- One Conn Smythe Trophy as the league’s most valuable player in the Stanley Cup Playoffs (2024)
- Three Hart Memorial Trophies as the league’s most valuable player in the regular season (2017, 2021, and 2023
- Four Ted Lindsay Awards as the league’s most valuable player as voted on by the players (2017, 2018, 2021, and 2023)
- One Rocket Richard Trophy as the league’s leading goal scorer (2023)
- NHL All-Rookie Team (2016)
- Seven NHL All-Star Games (2017, 2018, 2019, 2020, 2022, 2023, and 2024)
- Made the NHL First All-Star Team five times (2017, 2018, 2019, 2021, and 2023)
- Made the NHL Second All-Star Team two times (2022 and 2024)
Notice that his career totals to date were not mentioned above because even those numbers are astounding. As of this writing (Friday night, May 30), McDavid has 361 goals and 721 assists for 1082 points in just 712 games.
McDavid has also been tremendous in the postseason in his career. He currently (As of Friday night, May 30) has 43 goals and 100 assists for 143 points in 90 games.
He has continued to show the rest of the league why he is the best player in the world throughout these playoffs. For starters, he is producing at an incredible clip.
In this year’s postseason, McDavid leads the league in assists (20), points (26), points-per-game (1.63), even-strength points (22), and shots (59). Yes, he only has six goals, but as you can tell by the number of shots that he has put on the net in the postseason, it is not for lack of trying.
Secondly, McDavid continues to show that he can change the game with a big play by using his speed. That was the case in his team’s 6-3 victory over the Dallas Stars in Game 5 on Thursday night, May 29, a win that knocked the Stars out of the postseason and put the Oilers in the Stanley Cup Final against the Florida Panthers for the second straight season.
After Stars forward Roope Hintz scored to make it 3-2 in the second period, McDavid used his speed to score on a breakaway to give the Oilers a two-goal lead. Not only did the goal suck some of the momentum out of the Stars, but it also quieted what was a rowdy croud at the time.
In speaking with reporters after the game, Oilers defenseman Darnell Nurse told Daniel-Nugent Bowman of The Athletic that McDavid’s big goal is something that everyone has become accustomed to.
“Incredible,” longtime teammate Darnell Nurse said. “The big moments, he always steps up and makes such a difference for our team.
“That was a golden example of a big player making a big play in a big moment.”
Stars head coach Pete DeBoer told reporters after the game that he agreed with Nurse’s take on the play and added to it by saying that anytime you see that, it ends up in the back of the net.
“He’s not missing that,” Stars coach Pete DeBoer said. “And it’s game over.”
Lastly, McDavid has shown the rest of the league why he is still the best by being a true leader on the ice. As mentioned above, he can score big goals, but he can also play on the power play, kill penalties, and set up his teammates while also being a player who goes all out every single shift.
When his team needed a big goal, he supplied it. When they needed someone to create offense, he was there, and when they needed someone to give them another chance to play for the Cup, he answered the call.
The one thing missing from McDavid’s unbelievable hockey arsenal and accomplishments is a Cup. His team lost in seven games to the Panthers last season.
Now, the two teams meet again for another great battle. Should the Oilers win the Cup, it will put McDavid into another hockey stratosphere.
More must-reads:
- Carter Hart, others found not guilty in Hockey Canada sexual assault trial
- Yankees have finally found their third baseman in Ryan McMahon
- The 'NBA Summer League MVPs' quiz
Breaking News
Trending News
Customize Your Newsletter
+
Get the latest news and rumors, customized to your favorite sports and teams. Emailed daily. Always free!
TODAY'S BEST
Why the Toronto Maple Leafs should trade Easton Cowan now
The Toronto Maple Leafs have practically given Easton Cowan a 0% chance of making the opening night roster next season. Even with Mitch Marner gone, the additions up front have the forward corps completely jammed. Dakota Joshua, Matias Maccelli, Nic Roy, and Michael Pezzetta are the new guys. Steven Lorentz will be back, and so will Scott Laughton. Even Nick Robertson should be back, barring a trade. They’ve given Cowan no shot of making the team. He won’t play on the fourth line, and he won’t instantly be in the top-six. He’ll start the year in the AHL and could get a shot when an injury happens, but even that isn’t a guarantee. For these reasons, now is the time for the Leafs to trade their No.1 prospect. Peak value Cowan was actually seen as a reach at the draft, but he’s proven the scouting team right so far. Cowan has been dominant in the OHL and is easily the Leafs’ top prospect, as he has been for two years. He’s one of the only Leafs forward prospects with actual pedigree. His absolute peak value has likely already been reached. He would’ve been worth more last summer, coming off a 96-point campaign in his D+1. But he’s still worth a lot, especially after a dominant playoffs in 2024–25. Cowan is too good for the OHL and would’ve benefited from playing in the AHL last season. No one knows how his rookie season as a pro will go. Cowan could be overmatched against grown men and take years to develop. But that won’t help the Leafs in any way, not during their Stanley Cup window with Auston Matthews under contract. Their only goal should be success now. The chances of Cowan raising his value are super low. Unless he sets the AHL on fire, other teams aren’t going to covet him more than they do now. The most likely scenario is that he looks fine on the Marlies and looks overmatched if he gets called up. Other teams won’t like that! The Leafs don’t have a roster spot for him and can’t afford for his value to drop. The time to trade him is now. A clear need Toronto would be fine to let Cowan take as long as he needs to develop if they didn’t have such a glaring hole on the roster: a top-six winger. Maybe Cowan can be that one day, maybe not. But he can’t be that this year, and unfortunately, the Leafs don’t have time to let him grow. They need someone to play in the top-six, and Cowan is the easiest way, by far, to make that happen. There are players out there. Jason Robertson, Rickard Rakell, Bryan Rust, Jordan Kyrou, just to name a few. Cowan can’t fetch one of these guys by himself—not many prospects in the whole league could—but he can be a headliner. Brad Treliving hasn’t taken a big swing yet as the Leafs’ General Manager, but if he wants to (and he should), Cowan is the guy to move. The Pittsburgh Penguins make the most sense. They have Rust and Rakell and are the only team in the league in a full-blown rebuild. Kyle Dubas might have some hard feelings for Toronto, but Brendan Shanahan is gone. If he and Treliving want to cook up a trade together, there’s plenty of reason it could happen. A big risk There’s no doubt trading Cowan is risky. There’s a chance he’s a top-six contributor making under $1M in just a couple of years, and it would suck for Toronto to miss out on that. However, if the right trade presents itself, for one of the players listed earlier, Treliving must pull the trigger. Toronto isn’t in the business of development right now; they’re in the business of winning. Who knows how much longer their window will be open, but they have to take every chance they can to improve their NHL roster. Cowan is a great prospect, and they’ve held on to him for a reason. But with such a clear path to improvement, one that Cowan can help with, Toronto should take every opportunity to improve. That means moving on from Cowan.
All signs point to Yankees moving on from Anthony Volpe
With the trade for Ryan McMahon now complete, it would seem New York Yankees’ general manager Brian Cashman has fulfilled one of his three priorities. He can now cross third base off the list, which leaves the rotation and bullpen as his remaining priorities. However, according to one Yankees writer, Cashman might not be done with the infield. Chris Kirschner of The Athletic reported this after the McMahon trade: “The Yankees may not be done adding to their infield. A team source said the Yankees are interested in adding a right-handed hitter who could play the infield.” Kirschner adds that the Yankees have had interest in Willi Castro and Amed Rosario. But the question now is, how would another player fit in the Yankees’ infield? Needless to say, Paul Goldschmidt and Jazz Chisholm Jr. aren’t going anywhere, and McMahon is just getting there. That leaves the low-hanging fruit. Anthony Volpe has been at the center of controversy all this season. His 13 errors, many of which had come at make-or-break moments, amount to the second-highest total in the game. In addition, his bat has not been able to compensate, hitting .214/.286/.407 with 14 home runs. There was always a lot to like about Volpe. He won a Gold Glove in his rookie year, his power has always been promising and his speed is nothing to scoff at. Unfortunately, his glove has become a liability and his speed has also produced very few results. Volpe has swiped just 10 bags in 17 attempts. His power is the one thing that still has some upside, but it hasn’t been enough to justify a spot in the lineup. Both Castro and Rosario have been far more productive at the plate this season than Volpe. Kirschner doesn’t clarify how serious the Yankees are in their pursuit of another infielder, but that most likely isn’t available information. Having just turned 24, Volpe could still become the type of player that was expected from him as a top prospect. However, his recent performance has weighed heavily on his team’s efforts and it may be buying him a ticket out of the Bronx — or at least a spot on the bench.
Athletics' Nick Kurtz makes MLB history vs. Astros
Athletics rookie first baseman Nick Kurtz already had an impressive start to his career. Kurtz entered Friday having posted a .288/.360/.622 batting line in 265 plate appearances, hitting 19 homers and 17 doubles. Despite making his major league debut on April 23, Kurtz has been the A's most valuable player, leading the team with 2.6 bWAR. He appeared to be on the cusp of becoming the superstar the A's needed to sell the team to the residents of Las Vegas. That performance set the stage for what may have been the most impressive game for any rookie in major league history. Kurtz became the 20th player in MLB history to have a four-home run game and the first rookie to achieve that feat. Kurtz's performance also put the 2025 season into baseball history. Diamondbacks third baseman Eugenio Suarez had a four-home run game on April 26, making this the third time that there have been two four-homer games in a season. That had happened in 2002 (outfielders Mike Cameron and Shawn Green) and 2017 (utility man Scooter Gennett and left fielder J.D. Martinez). Kurtz did not stop with those four homers. He was 6-6 in the A's 15-3 victory over the Astros, with a double and eight runs batted in. The favorite to win the AL Rookie of the Year award, Kurtz put an emphatic stamp on an already impressive season with his barrage on Friday.
Trade rejection speaks volumes about Red Sox's Jarren Duran intentions
The Boston Red Sox appear to have no interest in trading outfielder Jarren Duran, at least not in the near future. Trade rumors have swirled around Duran for most of the season, especially after designated hitter Rafael Devers was traded to the Giants. However, Sean McAdam from MassLive reported that the Red Sox may wait until the offseason before moving on from the former All-Star. The decision to wait on Duran is not due to a lack of offers. McAdam also reported that the Padres made a significant offer for Duran involving pitcher Dylan Cease, catching prospect Ethan Salas and another unnamed prospect. That offer was quickly rejected. The Padres have long coveted Duran. McAdam had previously reported that the Padres have been "relentless" in their pursuit of the Red Sox outfielder. The reported trade offer including Salas, the Padres second-best prospect and the 21st-best prospect in baseball per MLB.com, illustrates how serious they are about acquiring Duran. Likewise, the Red Sox's refusal to entertain such an offer, even as a starting point for negotiations, speaks volumes about their interest in moving Duran. The Padres' offer would help solve several problems for the Red Sox in both the present and future. Moving Duran would help clear up the logjam in the outfield, while Cease and Salas would respectively improve the back of their rotation and provide a possible cornerstone behind the plate going forward. Duran is a valuable trade chip as he is under team control through 2028. He has also taken a step back in production from his stellar showing in 2024, posting a respectable .254/.321/.428 batting line in 459 plate appearances entering Friday, with nine homers and 25 doubles while stealing 16 bases. That production would be an upgrade for several teams looking to improve their outfield going forward. The question is whether or not the Red Sox will be realistic in their asking price for Duran. Considering how quickly the Padres' offer was reportedly rejected, that may not be the case.
PRIVACY POLICY EDITORIAL POLICY CONTACT US
ABOUT YARDBARKER TERMS OF SERVICE
Use of this website (including any and all parts and
components) constitutes your acceptance of these
Terms of Service and Privacy Policy.
This site is for entertainment purposes only.
There is no gambling offered on this site.
Gambling Problem? Call 1-800-Gambler.
