In my mind, there’s no doubt that Connor McDavid is the best player in the league.
He may not have won any cups like Nathan MacKinnon and Nikita Kucherov, but that doesn’t matter: the best player in the league in my eyes is a strictly individual title.
Despite a slow start to the season, 97 is back on top, two points behind Mack (with two games in hand) and one behind Kucherov (with one game in hand).
Update
127 MacKinnon (8 games left)
126 Kucherov (9 games left)
125 McDavid (10 games left) https://t.co/iON1OAzwSt– BucciOT.Com (@Buccigross) March 31, 2024
More than ever, he’s in the running for the Art Ross Trophy.
But as The Athletic’s Daniel Nugent-Bowman writes, 97 doesn’t care about individual awards. His ultimate goal is to win the Stanley Cup.
If that dream seemed unattainable when Jay Woodcroft was fired, it’s not necessarily the case now.
For Oilers’ Connor McDavid, another Art Ross Trophy has never looked more realistic https://t.co/1hGohgljCg
– Daniel Nugent-Bowman (@DNBsports) March 31, 2024
Edmonton is in second place in the Pacific section, four points behind the Vancouver Canucks.
If the playoffs started today, the Oilers would cross swords with the Los Angeles Kings in the first round. Yes, again.
But individually, McDavid has come a long way. At the time of the coaching change, he was 107th in the NHL in scoring with 10 points in 11 games. Today, however, he’s third in the league with 125 points and is on track to eclipse the 100-assist plateau.
We have to go back to 1990-1991 to see the last player to have collected so many assists in a single season. That year, Wayne Gretzky collected 122. We can forget that figure for 97, however.
But then again, that’s not what’s important. The important thing is to win the big honours.
In bursts
– A thing of beauty.
DAKOTA JOSHUA BETWEEN-THE-LEGS GOAL
: @NHL_On_TNT & @SportsonMax https://t.co/W9mpYG1lMO pic.twitter.com/wNd3Im9dAV
– NHL (@NHL) March 31, 2024
– The Ryan Leonard-Cutter Gauthier duo is unstoppable.
Washington Capitals prospect Ryan Leonard is having himself another huge game.
Ties it for BC late in the 2nd. pic.twitter.com/O5qLRFip6t
– Marc Dumont (@MarcPDumont) March 31, 2024
– Keeps his team in the game.
Jacob Fowler with a big save on a one-timer during a penalty kill to end the 2nd period.
BC vs Quinnipiac tied 3-3 heading into the 3rd period. pic.twitter.com/mOCIHx5qHG
– /r/Habs (@HabsOnReddit) March 31, 2024
– Big win.
Zach Edey and Purdue in the Final Four at March Madness https://t.co/AKMQO3hbr2
– Radio-Canada Sports (@RC_Sports) March 31, 2024