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Oilers: THN Predicts Connor McDavid Will Win 2018-19 Art Ross Trophy

By Eric Friesen

EDMONTON, AB - MARCH 27: Edmonton Oilers Center Connor McDavid (97) celebrates his 100th point on a goal by Edmonton Oilers Left Wing Ryan Nugent-Hopkins (93) in the first period during the Edmonton Oilers game versus the Columbus Blue Jackets game on March 27, 2018, at Rogers Place in Edmonton, AB. (Photo by Curtis Comeau/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images)
EDMONTON, AB - MARCH 27: Edmonton Oilers Center Connor McDavid (97) celebrates his 100th point on a goal by Edmonton Oilers Left Wing Ryan Nugent-Hopkins (93) in the first period during the Edmonton Oilers game versus the Columbus Blue Jackets game on March 27, 2018, at Rogers Place in Edmonton, AB. (Photo by Curtis Comeau/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images) /
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The Hockey News predicts Edmonton Oilers superstar Connor McDavid will win his third consecutive Art Ross Trophy as NHL scoring champion in 2018-19.

Edmonton Oilers: The Hockey News released its annual pool guide on Aug. 13, in anticipation of upcoming fantasy drafts.

It was no surprise to see Connor McDavid, the Edmonton Oilers captain and two-time defending Art Ross Trophy winner, picked to claim his third straight scoring title in 2018-19 with 114 points (18 points ahead of runner-up Nikita Kucherov). No player has put up 114 or more points since Sidney Crosby had 120 in 2006-07.

McDavid is a player with an unmatched speed and skill, who can make the impossible commonplace on the ice, as Wayne Gretzky once did. Even during one of the most disappointing seasons in franchise history, McDavid made each 2017-18 Oilers’ game appointment viewing for hockey fans. Still just 21, he has cemented his status as the most dangerous offensive threat in the game today.

There’s no reason No. 97 shouldn’t be the first player selected in every fantasy draft this year, and probably for the next decade, barring injury.

History In The Making

McDavid led the league in points (108), even-strength points (84), even-strength goals (35), and even-strength assists (49) in 82 games in 2017-18, despite playing with an illness throughout the month of November that affected his ability to dominate games. If not for the Oilers’ league-worst 14.8 percent power-play efficiency, McDavid might have had a season for the ages.

The Newmarket, Ontario native became the first repeat Art Ross Trophy winner since Jaromir Jagr from 1999-00 through 2000-01, and the second-youngest player in NHL history to achieve the feat (21 years, 84 days), behind Wayne Gretzky (21 years, 68 days) in 1981-82. Perhaps even more impressive, McDavid joined Bobby Orr and Gretzky as the only players in NHL history to win a major individual award multiple times before turning 22.

Now, McDavid has the chance to make more history in 2018-19.

Since the Art Ross Trophy was first handed out in 1947-48, only five players have ever won the award three straight times, including Gordie Howe, Phil Esposito, Guy Lafleur, Gretzky, and Jagr. If McDavid can capture a third Art Ross Trophy in his first four NHL seasons, then he could realistically take a run at equaling Gretzky’s record 10 Art Ross trophies in his career.

The Money Pick

From the moment he arrived in Edmonton in 2015, McDavid has exceeded all individual expectations placed upon him. As a rookie, he had the third-highest points-per-game average in the league behind a couple of former Art Ross winners in Jamie Benn and Patrick Kane.

Two years ago, McDavid led the league with 100 points and was the eighth-youngest player in NHL history to reach the century mark (20 years, 86 days). No other player cracked 90 points in 2016-17.

Last season, Kucherov had a double-digit lead on McDavid in the Art Ross race as of New Year’s Day. However, the 21-year-old phenom recorded an incredible 27 goals and 63 points in the final 42 games of the season to pass Kucherov and take home the hardware. If you pro-rate his second-half numbers over the course of an 82-game season, he would have been on pace for 123 points.

When McDavid reaches his prime scoring years, I think he will regularly push for 130 points a season. In today’s NHL, that’s Gretzky-like dominance.

So, in the coming years, we could see the same fantasy draft rules that applied to Gretzky in 1980s be enforced when selecting McDavid.

At the height of his powers, fantasy hockey managers could typically only chose “Gretzky’s goals” or “Gretzky’s assists,” as his total points would give an unfair advantage to whatever GM was lucky enough to pick first.

We might still be a couple of years away from a “McDavid rule” coming into effect, but a smart fantasy GM should pick No. 97 first overall for as long as he’s in the league.

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