Connor McDavid

Connor McDavid, born January 13, 1997, is a Canadian NHL player and captain of the Edmonton Oilers. He is widely acknowledged as the best hockey player in the world. Although he has yet to win a Stanley Cup, he is a five-time Art Ross Trophy winner, a four-time Ted Lindsay Award winner, and a three-time Hart Memorial Trophy winner.

Connor McDavid Early Life

Connor Andrew McDavid was born in Richmond Hill, Ontario. He grew up with his mother, Kelly McDavid; his father, Brian McDavid; and his older brother, Cameron McDavid. McDavid started playing hockey with rollerblades in the family’s basement at three years old, and the following year, he began playing organized youth hockey. By the age of six, McDavid was already playing against older children, and with his father as coach, his team, the York Simcoe Express, won four Ontario Minor Hockey Association championships. As a 15-year-old, McDavid won the Greater Toronto Hockey League Player of the Year award after scoring 33 goals and recording 39 assists in 33 games with the Toronto Marlboros.

Connor McDavid Junior Career

As the third player after John Tavares and Aaron Ekblad, Connor McDavid was allowed to enter the junior hockey draft at the age of 15, instead of the regular age requirement of 16. He was selected first overall in the 2012 OHL Priority Selection by the Erie Otters. In his rookie year with the Otters, McDavid recorded a record-breaking 66 points, and in the following two seasons, he recorded 99 and 120 points, respectively. In his last playoffs with the team, he had 49 points in 20 games.

Connor McDavid NHL Career

McDavid was—unsurprisingly—selected first overall in the 2015 NHL Entry Draft by the Edmonton Oilers. That summer, he signed a three-year, entry-level contract. He scored his first goals on October 14, 2015, against the Dallas Stars. McDavid experienced injury troubles in his rookie season, missing 37 games. Despite this, he scored 16 goals and recorded 48 points in 45 games. In his sophomore year, he reached 100 points in 82 games. In the 2022-23 season, he recorded a career-high 64 goals and 153 points. In the 2023-24 season, he became the fourth player in NHL history to record 100 assists in a single season, joining Wayne Gretzky, Mario Lemieux, and Bobby Orr.

Connor McDavid is the Youngest NHL Captain Ever

On October 5, 2016, Connor McDavid was named the Edmonton Oilers’ captain for the upcoming season. At just 19 years and 266 days old, he became the youngest captain in NHL history at that time. Prior to McDavid, Gabriel Landeskog held the record, being 20 days older when he was named captain of the Colorado Avalanche in 2012.

Connor McDavid is the Third-Highest Paid NHL Player

In 2017, Connor McDavid signed a massive eight-year, $100 million contract extension, carrying a cap hit of $12.5 million. It set a new league record, but since then, Auston Matthews and Nathan MacKinnon have surpassed McDavid as the highest-paid players in the NHL.

Connor McDavid’s Wife Lauren Kyle is an Interior Designer

He met his future wife, Lauren Kyle, in 2016. They were set up on a blind date by a mutual friend. In 2019, the McDavid and Kyle family grew when they adopted a puppy, a miniature Bernedoodle named Lenard. Lauren Kyle is an interior designer and founder and principal of Kyle & Co Design Studio. According to their website, the studio offers full-scope design services in residential, commercial, and hospitality spaces. The couple became engaged on June 22, 2024, and married on July 27, 2024, in Muskoka, Ontario. Following a heartbreaking Game 7 loss in the Stanley Cup Finals, McDavid changed his plans for his bachelor trip. Instead of traveling to Europe to watch soccer and attend a concert, they opted for a more relaxing trip to the Bahamas. Among the groomsmen at his wedding were teammates Leon Draisaitl and Darnell Nurse.

Connor McDavid Breaks Wayne Gretzky's Record

Although many believe Wayne Gretzky’s 60 NHL records are unbreakable, Connor McDavid has already broken one of them. During the 2023-24 postseason, McDavid set the record for the most assists in a single NHL playoff, recording 34 assists during their playoff run, which ended in a Game 7 loss in the Stanley Cup Finals.

Connor McDavid's Top Speed

The Oilers superstar has been clocked at an incredible breakaway speed of 25.5 miles per hour, just shy of Olympic sprinting champion Usain Bolt’s top speed of 27.96 miles per hour. In the 2024 NHL All-Star Skills Competition, he became the first player to win the Fastest Skater event four times.