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Edmonton Oilers superstar Connor McDavid isn’t leaving South Florida without some NHL hardware despite the Florida Panthers defeating his squad in a thrilling Stanley Cup Final Game 7.
McDavid was named the Conn Smythe Trophy winner as the Stanley Cup Playoffs MVP after leading all players in points with 42, which is fourth-best in NHL history. He also set a playoff record with 34 assists this postseason.
Only Wayne Gretzky’s 47 and 43 points, and Mario Lemieux’s 44 points, are better than what McDavid has done in these playoffs.
He is the sixth player – and second non-goalie – on the losing team to win the Conn Smythe.
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Connor McDavid #97 of the Edmonton Oilers participates in warm-ups ahead of Game 6 of the 2024 Stanley Cup Final against the Florida Panthers on Friday in Edmonton, Alberta, Canada. (Andy Devlin/NHLI via Getty Images)
He also became the first player in league history to post back-to-back four-point games in Games 4 and 5 of the finals to help the Oilers work back from a 3-0 deficit. In turn, Edmonton became the first team since 1945 to force a Game 7 in the Final after going down 3-0.
McDavid was held pointless in Games 6 and 7, as the Panthers kept him bottled up, though he did have some good chances in each game.
Of course, the Panthers’ home crowd did not appreciate NHL commissioner Gary Bettman saying McDavid was the winner of the Conn Smythe, as their squad won the Stanley Cup in an incredible 2-1 finish.
PANTHERS WIN STANLEY CUP IN THRILLING GAME 7 OVER OILERS
Panthers fans were chanting for Sergei Bobrovsky, the Panthers’ goalie, after Bettman named McDavid, and he certainly was in the running for the trophy after his stellar performance in Game 7 and throughout the playoffs.
Bobrovsky did falter in the past three games leading up to Game 7, but he made some incredible saves against a desperate Oilers team in the third period to keep the Panthers’ lead intact for the victory.
Edmonton Oilers center Connor McDavid (97) looks to pressure an opponent in the second period during Game 5 of the Stanley Cup Finals between the Edmonton Oilers and the Florida Panthers on Tuesday at Amerant Bank Arena in Sunrise, Florida. (Peter Joneleit/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images)
Throughout the playoffs, Bobrovsky averaged 2.38 goals against with a .903 save percentage.
While the Panthers’ offense was a force to be reckoned with, Bobrovsky’s play in the net allowed Florida to remain aggressive knowing they had a solid last line of defense behind them.
Connor McDavid #97 of the Edmonton Oilers looks on during the first period of Game 6 of the 2024 Stanley Cup Final against the Florida Panthers at Rogers Place on Friday in Edmonton, Alberta. (Codie McLachlan/Getty Images)
Despite that, it’s McDavid who showed out in these playoffs. He should also be a frontrunner for the Hart Memorial Trophy as overall league MVP this season.
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And though he would’ve loved to leave Florida with his first career Stanley Cup in hand, his efforts were recognized with the highest regard.
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