Negative reaction to Connor McDavid not accepting Conn Smythe is ridiculous

And just like that, the chance at Stanley Cup glory has been snatched away from the Edmonton Oilers. After doing all the hard work in coming back from three games down to tie the series with the Florida Panthers, they fell agonisingly short in the decider by the final scoreline of 2-1.

This is something that each and every players has dreamt of for years, in most cases going all the way back to when they were children. To come so close is the cruelest of blows, and will always haunt the majority of this Oilers team if they never win the biggest prize the NHL has to offer.

On the subject of prizes, Connor McDavid did receive one on Monday night, but it is of no consolation whatsoever. He's made a piece of history he was hoping to avoid, something which we wrote about as a possibility prior to game one of the Stanley Cup Final.

More specifically as per Derek Van Diest of NHL.com, McDavid was awarded the Conn Smythe Trophy, which is give annually to the most valuable player of that season's playoffs. Actually, when we say awarded, that wasn't technically the case on Monday night.

McDavid receives criticism for not accepting Conn Smythe

The Oilers superstar declined to come back out onto the ice to receive the award, which sadly but expectedly resulted in him receiving plenty of backlash. Among other things, he was called a bad sport, classless, embarrassing, and so on.

However, as much as everyone has a right to their own opinion, to have a negative take on how McDavid acted is clueless and outright asinine. Did these people not see what he did do, or is that too inconvenient for them, because it would prove their take as lacking in foundation.

If you want to talk about class and being a good sport, consider how the three-time Hart Memorial Trophy winner wouldn't leave the ice until every one of his teammate had gone through the handshake line. And this was of course after going through the handshake line himself, to congratulate each of the Panthers players.

If you want to talk about no class, consider the reaction of the Panthers fans in booing McDavid's selection as the Conn Smythe winner. Your team has just won their first ever Stanley Cup and you're still going to bring that type of negative energy; now that's what you should be calling classless.

Yes the Panthers were the team which won the Holy Grail of hockey, but objectively speaking, how can they not acknowledge McDavid was the best playing during the playoffs as a whole? Only the third ever player to reach 40 points in a single playoff campaign, while also surpassing Wayne Gretzky for the most assists in one postseason.

A lack of understanding from people

Another thing to add, is that the negative reaction of people just reiterates how clueless they are about the demands and pressure of playing professional sports at a high level (or any level really). It also displays a lack of compassion and clarity of the situation.

You've just missed out on the ultimate prize in the NHL and may never get another opportunity. You're devastated and inconsolable; no matter that the Conn Smythe is a prestigious award, in that moment it is utterly meaningless in the grand scheme of things.

In this respect, McDavid's postgame comments when asked about winning the Conn Smythe trophy, perfectly caputured how he was feeling. As per Greg Wyshynski of ESPN, he said: "Yeah, obviously, I guess it's an honor. With the names on that trophy. But ... yeah."

Aside from that, it is an individual award. Surely the fact McDavid didn't want to go back out to receive the trophy is what proves he does have class -- and indeed maturity -- in not wanting to leave his teammates and make something all about him.

McDavid is only the sixth player, and second skater, to win the Conn Smythe Trophy despite being on the losing team in the Stanley Cup Final. For him, the award stands as a haunting reminder that the Oilers ultimately lost as a team, rather than him shining as an individual.

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