Edmonton Oilers star player snags a spot on SI’s power list

SI recently unveiled its list of The 50 most influential figures in sports, and yes, one player from the NHL made the cut. Edmonton Oilers star player Connor McDavid snagged a spot on a list that includes some of the greatest names in sports, like Patrick Mahomes, Max Verstappen, and Lionel Messi, just to name a few, so yeah, you can say he’s in good company. 

And it’s well-deserved, as there are few players in the NHL who can even compare to McDavid these days. Sure, the next generation of greats like Connor Bedard and Macklin Celebrini are looking in, but McDavid has set the standard, one that both youngsters and others around the league must match to reach his status. 

Throughout his career, McDavid hasn’t won the Stanley Cup, but he’s taken just about everything else, including the 2024 Conn Smythe Award. In case you’re a newer fan and don’t know what that is, it’s the award given to the most valuable player in the NHL Playoffs. The catch is that you don’t see it going to a player whose team didn’t win the Cup often, so it shows you just how valuable of a player McDavid is. 

He’s also won the Art Ross Trophy five times, the Ted Lindsay Award on four occasions, the Hart Memorial Trophy three times, and the Maurice Richard Trophy once. In addition to all the hardware, McDavid is a seven-time All-Star, and I’m sure the latter number will reach double-digits before we all know it. 

Edmonton Oilers star deserves a spot on SI’s power list

Connor McDavid’s best statistical season came in 2022-23 when he ended the year with 153 points, 64 goals, and 89 assists. These monster numbers helped McDavid take First-Team All-Star honors, the Hart Trophy, the Ted Lindsay Award, the Art Ross Trophy, and the Maurice Richard Trophy all in the same season. 

Last year, he ended up as a Second-Team All-Star, and while he didn’t win any major regular season awards, McDavid did take his first Smythe Trophy. It’s also worth mentioning he hit the century mark with 100 assists for the first time in his career, and he ended the regular season with an astounding 132 points. 

With all the above awards McDavid has won and will likely continue to pile up as he’s still well within his prime, you can argue his career statistics are even better, and without a doubt, fueled by his legendary previous two campaigns. 

And overall, through 645 career regular season games, McDavid has 335 goals, 647 assists, and 982 points. One not-so-bold prediction is that he’ll snag his 350th goal, 700th assist, and 1,000th career point sometime during the 2024-25 season, barring injury. So, yeah, it’s easy to argue why McDavid landed a spot on one of the best lists a sports figure can find themselves on.