"I shouldn't have been MVP": When Connor McDavid admitted NHL players felt Oilers star did not deserve to win 2017 Hart Trophy

In the 2017-18 season, Connor McDavid won the Art Ross Trophy for leading the league with 108 points (41 goals, 67 assists), the Ted Lindsay Award for being the most outstanding player as voted by NHL players, and the Hart Trophy as the league’s most valuable player during the regular season.

Despite these accolades, McDavid expressed humility about winning the Hart Trophy, stating he didn’t believe he deserved it. He noted that the Oilers had a subpar season, finishing with a 36-40-6 record and missing the playoffs, which he felt should have disqualified him from MVP consideration.

While the media favored him for the Hart Trophy, NHL players had a different perspective, as evidenced by his second consecutive Ted Lindsay Award win, an honor determined exclusively by player votes, which he greatly appreciated.

"Hockey’s about winning games and about having a team goal, and we weren’t very good last year, so, you know, I shouldn’t have been MVP. And that was obviously the clear choice on the media side, whereas the players felt a little bit different. And I appreciate that," said McDavid via GQ.

It was Connor McDavid’s third season with the Edmonton Oilers since being drafted first overall in 2015, and it marked his second 100-point campaign.

NHL analyst weighs in on Connor McDavid's future with Oilers

Connor McDavid has entered the final year of his eight-year, $100 million contract, which expires after the 2025-26 season, making him eligible to become an unrestricted free agent next year.

NHL analyst Gene Principe recently shared his perspective on Connor McDavid’s future with the Edmonton Oilers during an appearance on the Spittin’ Chiclets podcast.

He suggested that Connor McDavid’s message to Edmonton Oilers fans following the team’s 2024 Stanley Cup Final loss to the Florida Panthers signaled his intention to remain with the team.

"You know, one of the great questions that he answered was message to the fans. To me, that was, that was kind of better than, you know, I love you. To me, that was, I'm saying to you and to everybody, stick with it. We got this. We're going to get this. Continue to be patient and continue to love us, and I promise you, we'll give you the love that you want with the Stanley Cup”

McDavid and the Edmonton Oilers lost to the Florida Panthers in the Stanley Cup Final in both 2024 and 2025