(Sunrise) There were dozens of journalists and cameramen waiting for Connor McDavid after the match. It was ultimately Zach Hyman who was the first Edmonton Oilers player to show up.
Poor Hyman, a very interesting speaker, had just finished his first answer when McDavid arrived at the other interview area. From then on, the microphones migrated to the 97, arriving with a very low expression.
“It sucks. This sucks,” McDavid muttered.
McDavid had just completed an “achievement” that no player really wants to accomplish: winning the Conn Smythe Trophy as a member of the losing team in the final. He is the first since Jean-Sébastien Giguère, of the Anaheim Ducks, in 2003, the first non-goalie since Reggie Leach, of the Philadelphia Flyers, in 1976.
McDavid was walking on eggshells. A few minutes earlier, he was announced as the Conn-Smythe winner, but did not appear on the ice to receive the trophy. There’s a fine line between acting like a winner and disrespecting one of the National League’s most prestigious trophies.
He was silent for a long time before answering the question about Conn-Smythe. His voice even seemed to break. “It’s an honor to have my name on this trophy. But…” He shrugged his shoulders, without finishing his answer.
It remains that with 42 points (8 goals, 34 assists), he signed the 4e harvest of NHL playoff history. This is 10 points more than the holder of 2e rank, Evan Bouchard. He was hard to ignore.
The Oilers nevertheless find themselves with their mouths to water. This defeat means that the drought of Canadian teams without a Stanley Cup now stretches to 31 years. Since the Canadian’s triumph in 1993, the Oilers were the seventh team to reach the final.
Still, this team overcame a lot of adversity to get to a Stanley Cup victory. The Albertans were at rock bottom early in the season, going 2-9-1 after 12 games, which included a loss to the miserable San Jose Sharks. A coaching change later, they played up to their potential.
Rebelote in the final, where they found themselves behind 0-3, before forcing a seventh game.
“I am very proud of the group, proud of the way we fought,” said the captain. We were in trouble from the start and we went up the coast for months. It’s rubbish. »