TORONTO — We may not have needed a three-hour event to crown Connor McDavid the most skilled hockey player on the planet, but it’s still something to marvel at the dominance.
The shiniest star in the sky.
Speeding, sniping and slipping through Friday’s 12-player, winner-take-all individual skills competition that he himself had a hand in designing, McDavid left the rink with $1 million and zero doubt as to who was the most deserving and most hungry NHL all-star.
Sometimes there is comfort in confirming what we already know: McDavid’s talent trumps all.
Upsets? Underdog stories? Curveballs?
Nah. No one in Toronto was stunned by the outcome of Skills.
“Not even in the slightest,” said Edmonton Oilers teammate Leon Draisaitl. “He’s the epitome of competitiveness on a daily basis, so I’m not surprised.
“I’ve seen him do it for a lot of years now. It’s the day-to-day business that’s so impressive about him.”
McDavid won four of the six events he participated in: Fastest Skater (his fourth victory in the category), Accuracy Shooting (a perfect four-for-four on smashed targets), Stickhandling, and the Obstacle Course finale — his favourite, despite a few nerves over saucer-passing into those pesky mini nets.
And the only player who posed any threat to McDavid in this extravagant exhibition was Colorado Avalanche goaltender Alexander Georgiev, who stymied McDavid nine times in the new One-on-One breakaway challenge, easily the most entertaining new event from a spectator’s point of view.
Georgiev picked up a cool $100,000 for one minute’s work.
“Georgiev had my number. He was poke-checking, and he was mixing things up. He made it tough for me,” McDavid said. “It was a tough ask for the goalies.”
Boston’s David Pastrnak and Tampa Bay’s Nikita Kucherov, the targets of the local fans’ lusty boos, were both eliminated early. Kucherov finished with a paltry 0.5 points and put as much effort into his appearance as your dad on a lazy Sunday.
“I knew I’m probably getting booed,” Maple Leafs killer Pastrnak said. “But then I said, ‘I’m not Marchy, so maybe I won’t get booed.’ Then I heard some boos, so I just kissed the logo to let them know I’m proud Bruin.”
McDavid’s Skills title is just another in list of fond memories he’s created inside Scotiabank Arena, a short drive from his native Richmond Hill, Ont.
His father, Brian, took a young, Maple Leafs–loving Connor to his first NHL game here.
“Just a kid. Came down with my dad. I just remember being so excited that we’re going to an NHL game, coming into this building and seeing the Leafs. They were playing the Rangers that night. I actually predicted the score — a 4-1 win for the Leafs. A memorable night for me.”
Ditto the night he and his Team Canada mates won world junior gold here in 2015.
And today, when he not only raked a cool million, but more importantly learned that, yes, finally, the National Hockey League will be sending its players to the Olympic Games, in 2026 and 2030.
Something McDavid has been outwardly advocating for.
“To get an opportunity to do that would be a dream come true. I think this is something that I’ve been vocal about for a long time. I feel very strongly about it,” McDavid said.
“Hockey needs to be on sport’s biggest stage, and that is the Olympics. And we need to send our best there to have an opportunity to play best-on-best and represent my country. Play with other amazing hockey players from Canada. It would be special and something that I’m looking forward to the opportunity to chase that down.”
On an evening celebrating McDavid’s individual greatness, the captain turned to the collective.
He spoke of the union gaining more traction under new head Marty Walsh’s leadership, and players like himself having sway in matters as minor as the format of all-star weekend to as grand as international competition.
“The league and the Players’ Association have done a much better job of communicating and talking to each other about some of the big issues,” McDavid said. “The Olympics was a good example of the league and the PA working together, along with some other people, to come to an agreement. And it’s great to see players have a voice in this league, and it’s good that guys are using it and asking for what they want.”
Asked how he’ll spend his newfound $1-million bonus, McDavid could already hear the Oilers back in Edmonton asking for what they want.
“I know I’m gonna have some teammates back home very interested in what I’m going to do with it,” McDavid smiled.
“Maybe donate some of it. Some of it to my teammates. A lot of good options.”
