The year 2024 was huge for Connor McDavid. First, he led the Edmonton Oilers to a Stanley Cup Final appearance. While the outcome wasn’t exactly what fans had hoped for, coming to within one game of the Lord Stanley’s Cup was something to remember.
As a consolation prize, McDavid became the sixth player to win the Conn Smyth as part of the losing team. Ron Hextall of the Philadelphia Flyers (1987) and Jean-Sebastian Giguere of the Anaheim Ducks (2003) were the most recent to accomplish the feat before McDavid.
Then, McDavid eclipsed the 1,000-point plateau earlier this season. He became the fourth-fastest to accomplish the vaunted feat behind only Wayne Gretzky, Mario Lemieux, and Mike Bossy.
As if that weren’t enough, McDavid capped off a memorable year by passing Mark Messier to become the Edmonton Oilers’ third-leading scorer in team history. McDavid surpassed Messier with two assists in the Oilers’ 4-1 win over the Utah Hockey Club on New Year’s Eve. McDavid now has 1,036 points, two more than Messier.
The impressive feat is a testament to McDavid’s consistency throughout his career. Since entering the league, he has been among the league leaders in scoring every season. He hasn’t had what you would call a “down” year, seemingly beating career highs every season.
With McDavid and the Oilers rolling along, 2025 should prove to be a favourable year as the club looks to match another one of Messier’s feats, by winning a Stanley Cup for the team for the first time since 1990.
The next milestone in Connor McDavid's sights
The two names ahead of McDavid on the Edmonton Oilers’ all-time scoring list are Jarri Kurri and Gretzky. Kurri is next on the list with 1,043 points. He famously rode shotgun with Gretzky during the better part of the Oilers' 1980s dynasty. The duo played pitch and catch with opposing teams. Kurri’s best season was 1984-85, when he registered 71 goals and 64 assists for 135 points.
Kurri consistently topped 40 goals every season with the Oilers, eventually leaving the team in 1990 following the team’s last Cup. Kurri joined Gretzky in Los Angeles for the 1990-91 season. Kurri notched 87 points during the 1992-93 Kings’ Cup run.
Kurri eventually declined due to age and injuries, finishing out his career with the Colorado Avalanche in 1997-98. Now, McDavid is a hot streak away from catching Kurri on the Oilers’ all-time list, further etching his name in the team’s lore.
While it’s only a matter of time before McDavid beats Kurri, catching Gretzky may take a bit longer. Gretzky tops the list with 1,773 points. McDavid can certainly get there. However, he’ll need to play the rest of his career with the Oilers, and, most importantly, keep up his torrid pace.
If all goes well, McDavid could break one of Gretzky’s best team records in about seven seasons. So, sit back and enjoy the ride. Hopefully, there will be a few Cups from now and the record-breaking moment.