There’s no shortage of high-end talent in the NHL right now, but when it truly comes down to it, Connor McDavid remains above everyone else as the clear-cut best player in the world.
The eye test alone tells you he’s in a league of his own, yet his point production is just as staggering. McDavid has already reached his ninth 100+ point season and would have ten had the 2019–20 season not been cut short due to COVID-19. With 1,200 points in just 784 games, McDavid boasts the third-highest points-per-game average in the history of the game (1.531), trailing only the two consensus greatest players of all-time: Wayne Gretzky (1.921) and Mario Lemieux (1.883).
Very few players can ever insert themselves into the conversation of a Wayne Gretzky record, but the brilliance we’ve seen from McDavid over 11 seasons has him on pace to do just that. The milestone in reach is 2,000 career points—something only Gretzky (2,857) has ever achieved—though TSN analyst Jeff O’Neill believes the Great One will have company in due time.
“Absolutely, I really do—the guy (McDavid) is a point freakazoid. That could potentially be six more seasons, dude. I’m going 100% for it, yes,”
The 29-year-old McDavid has racked up 118 points (40 goals, 78 assists) through 72 games played so far this season.
Can Connor McDavid Join Wayne Gretzky in the 2,000 Club?
If McDavid were to continue hovering around his 126 points per 82-game average, he would hit the 2,000 mark in about seven seasons, somewhere around his age-35 or -36 campaign.
As good as he is, maintaining such a ridiculous pace—and staying healthy—into his thirties may not be entirely plausible. That said, look at Sidney Crosby at age 38; there’s no reason to believe McDavid won’t be a 100-point player for the next decade, which would ultimately make him the second-most productive regular-season player in NHL history when all is said and done.
That milestone is certainly not on his mind right now as he chases that elusive Stanley Cup, though, as he gets older and closer to it, you can imagine it will start to sink in just how incredible an achievement it would be.
Some may still doubt McDavid given all the potential obstacles at play, but the hockey world should know by now to count number 97 out at their own risk—especially when it comes to producing points.
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