The expectations when Connor McDavid was drafted

The Edmonton Oilers picked Connor McDavid with their first pick in the 2015 NHL Draft. Not since Sidney Crosby was drafted in 2005 had there been anyone regarded as the next great prospect.

McDavid, a 6-foot-1, 195-pound center, was it. He gained notoriety after Hockey Canada gave him an exceptional-player designation in 2012. This allowed him to enter the Ontario Hockey League draft at 15, one year earlier than is customary.

He was one of six players to represent Canada at the 2014 IIHF World Junior Championship as a 16-year-old, the first since Crosby in 2004. In 2013, he received the OHL Rookie of the Year Award.

Although Edmonton hasn't been in the Stanley Cup Playoffs since 2006, McDavid is anticipated to provide the Oilers with a significant boost as they continue to rebuild.

Connor McDavid said:

"My expectations on myself exceed any of those put on me."

"It's something I can't really worry about. Just have to worry about making sure I'm playing my game and doing all that. If I'm meeting my expectations, chances are I'll meet yours as well."

This is what NHL director of central scouting Dan Marr said about Connor McDavid.

"He's a craftsman with the puck, his hockey sense, with his vision, his anticipation, his sense of timing, and the ability to do those things at a top-end speed, you're looking at the best-skilled player in the draft."

Connor McDavid's progress after being drafted

The 26-year-old from Richmond Hill, Ontario is one of the best attackers in the league. In his more than seven years in the NHL, McDavid has won four Art Ross trophies, three Ted Lindsay Awards, and two Hart trophies. The coveted Stanley Cup is the lone item of silverware missing from his trophy collection.

Connor McDavid has played 49 games and recorded 89 points in the 2022–23 NHL season, with 40 goals and 49 assists. In 536 games over the course of his career, he has collected 786 points (279 goals, 507 assists).

With 52 games remaining in the season, Connor McDavid already has 94 points—41 goals and 53 assists—to his credit. He now holds the top spot among NHL players with 94 points.

The 26-year-old could surpass the 150-point threshold with 30 games remaining if he maintains his current rate. If successful, he would score 150 points in a single season for the first time since 1989. He would become only the sixth NHL player to accomplish this feat.