NASHVILLE — On the surface, Connor McDavid looks like a man who is all on a hot summer night in a party town like this.
He strolls into Bridgestone Arena for another NHL Awards, dressed to win, with his new fiancée Lauren Kyle on his arm, and leaves with too many trophies to carry: his third Hart, his fourth Ted Lindsay, his fifth Art Ross, his first Rocket, plus his fifth nod to the First All-Star Team.
McDavid, more than ever, is comfortable and gracious and funny, thanking “even you Flames fans” upon receiving the Lindsay and going along with Paul Bissonnette’s request that he thank his hot tub upon accepting the Hart.
But one thing McDavid is not: satisfied.
Even as the individual accolades pile on top of one another like the rowdy barrooms in Tootsies, a Stanley Cup–sized hole eats at his heart like a sad country tune.
After his Edmonton Oilers were defeated in a seesaw six-game series by the eventual champion Vegas Golden Knights in May, McDavid watched some of those games back.
He studied them.
He scoured for small mistakes and searched for things that could be different, plays that could be better.
Does McDavid take any solace in knowing that at least his Oilers lost out to the very best? Or hearing Conn Smythe winner Jonathan Marchessault say that Edmonton was the Knights’ toughest test.
The world’s best hockey player chuckles at the idea of some sort of consolation prize.
“We knew it was a tough series. We knew we gave them the best fight. You know, we were 2-2 in their building, in full control of the game halfway through in Game 5. The game goes awry for three minutes, and we can’t recover. It’s just… it’s right there. It’s disappointing,” McDavid says.
That game was six weeks ago, but to hear McDavid discuss it, you’d think he’s still sitting his stall post-loss.
“Everybody can always do more, certainly. There’s always things that we can do better. We didn’t win, so obviously we weren’t good enough,” he says. “You got to learn from all that and work to get yourself back in the same spot and try to do it again.”
McDavid is reminded of all those teams, most recently the Knights and Lightning, who needed to experience multiple late-round heartbreaks before finally climbing the mountain.
“You’re always kind of wondering, like, why do you have to lose before you win? And understanding the path that we’ve been on, you really start to understand why it goes that way,” McDavid says, pointing again to the magnitude of tiny details.
“Those winning teams, they just seem to know how to deal with it. They manage it. Whatever it is, they just know what they’re doing.
“Winning is a skill. And the teams that figure that out quickest, or do it the longest, end up winning.”
Steven Stamkos, Monday’s winner of the Mark Messier Leadership Award, has trained alongside McDavid for years in Toronto, before the phenom was even drafted. They talk about what it takes, the two-time champ and the man driven to drink from that same chalice.
“Listen. He’s gonna win a Stanley Cup. It’s just a matter of time. He has that desire and that drive. Those individual awards are great in the trophy case, but he’ll be the first one to tell you — and he has — that winning a championship is the one you want. Those individual awards become a little nicer when you put the Stanley Cup beside them,” Stamkos said.
“We’ve won Presidents’ trophies and Eastern Conference championship trophies, and once you win a Stanley Cup… you’re even more proud of those. Same goes with the individual stuff.
“Connor is the best player in the world, and he has the drive and determination. I see it every day in the summer. It’s gonna happen sooner or later.”
Following his latest hardware haul, McDavid singled out the Ted Lindsay as the most prestigious of the bunch because it is voted on by his fellow players. He joins Wayne Gretzky (five times) and Mario Lemieux (four) as the only quadruple winners of the award.
Yet, again, it’s the team success that leaves a gap between McDavid and those towering greats.
The individual honours are polished to shine and still lack some lustre.
“That stuff is not the motivating factor anymore. Never really was,” McDavid says. “But when you’re young and you’re coming into league, you’re so excited to play in the NHL and win an Art Ross and a Hart. It’s exciting when you’re younger. And it still is. But at this point in my career, it’s not the not the be-all, end-all.”
Oh, the irony.
Connor McDavid should feel like he’s won it all. Yet he can’t help but feel he and his teammates haven’t won a thing.
“I can’t wait to get back to work with you in September,” says McDavid, looking toward Darnell Nurse and Stuart Skinner.
“We’ve got unfinished business.”
Fox’s Fast 5
• I caught up with Mitch Marner on the red carpet on his way into the gala.
On being a Selke finalist: “I said a couple years ago, I want to have my name part of this conversation. So, to now have it is almost a win itself. But it’s very cool. I got a lot of people here that helped me get to where I am today. So, it’s a cool moment to share with them. Definitely a little nervous. I’m sure it’ll click in once I sit down. It’s probably gonna be like that moment when you get drafted — a little nervous at first and then it kind of hits you all at once that it could happen.”
On joining Shania Twain onstage last week to cut a rug: “It was amazing. We did something together for charity, which was a lot of fun. And then kind of had an idea we might get called up on stage, my fiancée (Steph LaChance) did, and then had no idea about the dancing aspect of it. That turned out pretty funny, though. Just kinda gotta roll. When Shania tells you what to do, you listen to her.”
On the Maple Leafs firing Kyle Dubas and hiring Brad Treliving: “Kyle did a hell of a job here. It was unfortunate that we couldn’t fully get it done. But, obviously, sometimes things change. And that’s what happens in the sport. So, I’m excited to see what Brad does and happy to have him part of the team. He reached out to me a day or so after (he was hired), but haven’t met with him in-person yet. So, still gotta plan that one out. But he’s been good.”
• Gotta feel happy for Jim Montgomery winning the Jack Adams (79 of 81 first-place votes) after being out of the league due to his battle with alcohol.
“I’m just grateful for the opportunity,” Montgomery says. “You got to commit to change, for myself. But I’m just filled with an attitude of gratitude to be given a second chance, to be afforded an opportunity to be a head coach again. And really to have worked with great players and teams and leaders like I’ve been afforded in Boston.
“I look at this as a team award. That’s what this is.”
Best speech of the night:
• Vezina winner Linus Ullmark on his goalie goal: “Whenever I feel a bit down, maybe I’ll watch it.” He smiles. “Just kidding.”
• Patrice Bergeron was not able to accept his record-setting sixth Selke Trophy because he’s awaiting the arrival of a new baby.
“There’s a rumour he should have his own award, the Bergeron instead of the Selke. I couldn’t agree more,” Ullmark says.
Montgomery on Bergeron: “I think I’m a better person because of him.”
• Here’s Connor Hellebuyck projecting Connor Bedard’s point total in 2023-24: “Sixty? That’s a good number for a rookie, no? I think that’s a good number for a rookie. Plus, he has to shoot on me — so that’s zero there.”