Connor McDavid’s Stanley Cup surge blows away other NHL stars: ‘Somehow he’s found another level’

EDMONTON – Spending the early part of his offseason in Europe, the time difference may have kept Sidney Crosby from seeing the Stanley Cup Final unfold, but it hasn’t stopped him from seeing the heights Connor McDavid reaches at the biggest stage of the game.

Like a number of current and former NHL stars who have been contacted The Athletics this week, Crosby expressed his admiration for the way McDavid has performed as he helped his Edmonton Oilers extend their season into Friday’s Game 6 after falling behind 3-0 to the Florida Panthers.

“It’s unbelievable what he does,” said Crosby, a three-time Stanley Cup champion with the Pittsburgh Penguins, who keeps an eye on the series by watching highlights. ‘Somehow he found another level. Especially in the playoffs (that’s hard to do).

While McDavid has long earned the respect of his peers for his unparalleled speed and 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 wins over the Panthers and became the first player in NHL history with eight points in a two-game span during the championship series.

Sidney Crosby on Connor McDavid’s playoff run: “It’s unbelievable what he’s doing.” (Justin Berl/Getty Images)

“I think the coolest thing I admire is how calmly he 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 even-tempered and (shows) great leadership for his team.

“He is a very special and fun player to watch – especially over the last few games where he has taken his game to the next level and driven his team to two wins with his back against the wall,” said Avalanche defender 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 has scored 42 points and put himself within striking distance of Wayne’s Gretzky’s record of 47 points.

They were among a group of NHLers who trained together north of Toronto last summer and spent a significant amount of time in each other’s company, on and off.

“He even approached me to talk about my experience when we won the Cup and what it took and all that,” said Stamkos, a two-time champion with the Tampa Bay Lighting. “He is all about winning and the passion and drive to be the best to help his team win a cup. It’s so impressive how competitive he is in every aspect. He always wants to win – in the gym, or in scrimmages, or in games.

“If there’s any player who wants to get his team back from an 0-3 hole, it’s him!”

Steven Stamkos said Connor McDavid came to him for championship advice. (Mike Carlson/Getty Images)

The Oilers are vying to become only the second team in NHL history to accomplish the feat in the Stanley Cup Final, following the 1942 Toronto Maple Leafs.

McDavid, of course, gets most of the credit for his incredible offensive output — he’s made multiple point plays in seven of 11 games dating back to the start of the Western Conference Finals — but he’s also playing more than 23 minutes a night on this play- offs and helped Edmonton tilt the ice significantly during its five-on-five minutes.

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“What he does is refuse to lose,” said former Anaheim Ducks captain Ryan Getzlaf, who won a Stanley Cup and two Olympic gold medals during his playing career. “He blocks shots and does what it takes to win. Watching him over the years, I’m not sure you would have seen him do that everything it takes to win the Cup, and we see that he has learned and grown into someone who is ready.”

Last year’s Conn Smythe winner Jonathan Marchessault leaned toward Aleksander Barkov for his playoff MVP pick last week when the Panthers were up 3-0 in the series. But like many, Marchessault has been impressed with McDavid’s back-to-back four-point performances to help the Oilers stay alive.

“It’s pretty hard not to go with Connor right now,” Marchessault said The Athletics On the phone Wednesday evening. “What he is doing now is just incredible. He has so many points. He plays so many roles when he’s on the ice. No matter how many times people say, “Let’s hit him or get him,” that’s not possible. He’s too fast. He’s too agile. You can’t touch him. He’s incredible.

“And he won’t do that 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. Of course, they no longer have much room to maneuver, but they do give themselves a chance.”

The Vegas Golden Knights forward has been so impressed with what he’s seen from McDavid that he believes No. 97 has set himself apart from the all-time greats.

“I wasn’t around during the other eras of the NHL, but he has to be the most dominant player to ever play the game,” Marchessault said. “The game is so fast now and the way he reacts is unbelievable. Yeah, I think Connor, win or lose, should be the guy to get it.

(Top photo: Bruce Bennett/Getty Images)