When you get past Connor Bedard mania ahead of the NHL season openers, there is another Connor who promises to take the league by storm yet again. But is this the year he also wins a championship?
Connor McDavid is coming off his third Hart Trophy-winning season when he topped the league with a whopping 64 goals and 153 total regular-season points.
As part of a dynamic duo including Leon Draisaitl, McDavid has lived up to his hype as a generational and has helped make the Edmonton Oilers a threat in the Western Conference. The only thing McDavid still hasn't done, however, is win a Stanley Cup.
Do oddsmakers think this is the year McDavid and the Oilers hoist Lord Stanley's Mug?
Still can’t believe Connor McDavid just ran an ISO play like he was Michael Jordan. Dude waved his teammates to the sideline and said “I got this” one-on-four. pic.twitter.com/hbz1uQgCdT
— Scott Wheeler (@scottcwheeler) November 6, 2021
DraftKings certainly thinks that Edmonton has a shot at winning the Stanley Cup Final in 2024, listing the Pacific Division team at 10-1 odds. The only teams with better odds ahead of the season starting are the Carolina Hurricanes at 8-1 and the Toronto Maple Leafs and New Jersey Devils, who are each listed at 9-1.
It's no surprise though that the Oilers are a preseason favorite, as they have been an offensive juggernaut through McDavid's career. Yet despite making the playoffs in each of the last four seasons, they continue to fall short.
Most recently, Edmonton was booted from the 2023 Stanley Cup playoffs after a six-game set against division rivals the Vegas Golden Knights. Vegas, who of course went on to win its first Stanley Cup, is listed at 12-1 to repeat that success.
It is very possible that anger and frustration will help fuel this Oilers team this season since they keep falling short of hockey's ultimate prize. ESPN's Greg Wyshynski called McDavid and Draisaitl "disgusted" with the recent playoff exits, and it's very easy to see why.
If nothing else, the Oilers should also get plenty more production from those two players which will help them win games and get back into the second season.
The over/under at DK for how many goals McDavid will score is set at 55.5, while Draisaitl — who scored 52 goals and ranked second in the league with 128 points last season — has an O/U set at 50.5.
The Oilers' season and their quest to finally win a Cup in the Connor McDavid era starts on Wednesday against the host Vancouver Canucks.
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