Career Timeline of Connor McDavid: Major Achievements and Milestones

How Connor McDavid built a successful career. Explore key moments that defined the journey.

Connor McDavid is a Canadian professional ice hockey centre and captain of the Edmonton Oilers of the NHL. Drafted first overall by the Oilers in 2015, McDavid is renowned as one of the premier players globally.

Sections (4)

Full Timeline Early Life & Education Career & Achievements Success & Recognition

2001: Otters Reached 100 points as a Team

In March 2014, McDavid's 25th goal of the season helped the Erie Otters reach 100 points as a team for the first time since 2001.

2011: Joined Toronto Marlboros

In 2011, McDavid left the York Simcoe Express for the Toronto Marlboros of the Greater Toronto Hockey League (GTHL).

April 7, 2012: Selected First Overall by Erie Otters

On April 7, 2012, the Erie Otters selected McDavid first overall in the 2012 OHL Priority Selection, and he signed with the team that June.

2012: Joined the Erie Otters

In 2012, McDavid joined the Otters for the 2012–13 season and scored his first OHL goal on September 21.

2012: Granted Exceptional Player Status and Drafted by Erie Otters

In 2012, McDavid was granted exceptional player status by Hockey Canada, allowing him to play junior ice hockey at 15. The Erie Otters selected him first overall in the OHL draft that year.

2012: Named GTHL Player of the Year

In 2012, McDavid won the GTHL Player of the Year Award after scoring 33 goals and recording 39 assists in 33 regular season games.

March 10, 2013: Set Franchise Record for Rookie Assists

On March 10, 2013, McDavid recorded his 37th assist of the season, setting a franchise record for rookie assists. He also tied Tim Connolly for the most rookie points in Otters history.

2013: World U-17 Hockey Challenge

In 2013, Connor McDavid participated in the World U-17 Hockey Challenge, leading Team Ontario with nine points, despite a 7–6 loss to Team Pacific. He was named to the tournament all-star team after the event.

2013: Started 2013-14 Season with Erie Otters

In 2013, the Otters opened the 2013-14 season strongly, and McDavid contributed five goals and 28 points in the first 15 games. He was also named the OHL Player of the Month in October.

2014: 2014-15 Season success and awards

During the 2014-15 OHL season, McDavid recorded 120 points and received several awards, including the Red Tilson Trophy, Wayne Gretzky 99 Award, and CHL Player of the Year awards.

2014: World Junior Ice Hockey Championship

In 2014, Connor McDavid, at age 16, played in the World Junior Ice Hockey Championship, contributing a goal and three assists, although Canada lost the bronze medal match.

2014: Named Captain of the Erie Otters

In 2014, McDavid was named the captain of the Erie Otters for the 2014–15 season during training camp.

July 3, 2015: Signed Entry-Level Contract with the Edmonton Oilers

On July 3, 2015, Connor McDavid signed a three-year, entry-level contract with the Edmonton Oilers worth $11.3 million, including up to $3.775 million annually in bonus incentives.

October 9, 2015: NHL Debut

On October 9, 2015, Connor McDavid made his NHL debut with the Edmonton Oilers in a 3–1 loss to the St. Louis Blues, where he was stopped twice by Brian Elliott.

2015: Joined the Edmonton Oilers

In 2015, McDavid joined the Edmonton Oilers for the 2015-16 season.

2015: World Junior Ice Hockey Championships

In 2015, McDavid played in the World Junior Ice Hockey Championships in Canada, he served as an alternate captain, tying for first in the tournament with 11 points and winning a gold medal after Canada defeated Russia 5-4. He was named to the media all-star team at the end of the championships.

2015: Named Captain of Team Cherry at CHL/NHL Top Prospects Game

In 2015, shortly after returning from injury, McDavid was named the captain of Team Cherry at the CHL/NHL Top Prospects Game.

October 5, 2016: Named Captain of the Oilers

On October 5, 2016, Connor McDavid was named captain of the Edmonton Oilers, becoming the youngest captain in NHL history at 19 years and 266 days old.

December 18, 2016: First NHL Shootout Goal

On December 18, 2016, Connor McDavid scored his first NHL shootout goal against Ben Bishop to secure a 3–2 victory for the Edmonton Oilers against the Tampa Bay Lightning.

2016: IIHF World Championship

In 2016, Connor McDavid played in the IIHF World Championship, scoring his first goal in the gold-medal match against Finland, helping Canada win the tournament.

2016: IIHF World Championship and World Cup of Hockey

In 2016, Connor McDavid played in the IIHF World Championship, scoring his first goal in the gold-medal match against Finland, helping Canada win the tournament. That year, he was also named captain of Team North America at the World Cup of Hockey, where he had three assists but the team was eliminated in the round-robin stage.

2016: Named Youngest Captain in NHL History

In 2016, at 19 years old, McDavid was appointed the youngest captain in NHL history by the Edmonton Oilers.

March 29, 2017: Oilers Clinch Playoff Berth

On March 29, 2017, the Edmonton Oilers ended a 10-year playoff drought by defeating the Los Angeles Kings, securing a berth in the 2017 playoffs.

June 21, 2017: Cover Athlete for NHL 18

On June 21, 2017, Electronic Arts announced that Connor McDavid would be the cover athlete for "NHL 18".

July 5, 2017: Signed Contract Extension with the Oilers

On July 5, 2017, Connor McDavid signed an eight-year, $100 million contract extension with the Edmonton Oilers, set to begin at the start of the 2018–19 season.

2018: Consecutive 41-goal Seasons

Following his first Art Ross Trophy, Hart Memorial Trophy, and Ted Lindsay Award, McDavid scored 41 goals in consecutive years. This occurred during the 2017-2018 and 2018-2019 seasons, although the Oilers missed the Stanley Cup playoffs during those seasons.

2018: IIHF World Championship

In 2018, Connor McDavid captained Team Canada at the IIHF World Championship in Denmark, recording 13 points. However, Canada lost the bronze medal game, finishing without a medal for the first time since 2014.

2018: NHL Financial Concerns

In 2018, Connor McDavid missed a chance to participate in the Winter Olympics due to financial concerns from the NHL.

2019: Leg Injury Prevents World Championship Participation

In 2019, Connor McDavid intended to play for Canada at the IIHF World Championship but was unable to participate due to a leg injury sustained at the end of the NHL season.

2020: Fourth All-Star Game Appearance

In 2020, Connor McDavid made his fourth All-Star Game appearance as captain of the Pacific Division.

2020: Recorded 100 Points in Shortened Season

In 2020, during the 2020-21 NHL season which was shortened to 56 games due to the COVID-19 pandemic, McDavid recorded 100 points for the fourth time in his career.

January 14, 2021: McDavid Scored Hat-Trick Against Canucks

On January 14, 2021, Connor McDavid scored the first hat-trick of the season in a game against the Vancouver Canucks, which the Oilers won 5-2. This marked a significant achievement in the pandemic-shortened 2020-21 season.

May 9, 2021: McDavid Reached 100 Points Mark

On May 9, 2021, Connor McDavid achieved 100 points in the season during a game against the Vancouver Canucks. He reached this milestone in just 53 games, making him the fastest player to reach 100 points since Mario Lemieux in the 1995-96 season.

November 23, 2021: McDavid's Point Streak Ended

On November 23, 2021, Connor McDavid's 17-game point streak ended in a 4-1 loss to the Dallas Stars. This streak was the eighth-longest point streak to begin a season in NHL history.

December 2021: NHL Declares No Player Participation in Olympics

In December 2021, the NHL announced that its players would not participate in the 2022 Winter Olympics in Beijing, citing COVID-19 outbreaks, upsetting McDavid who dreamed of competing in the Olympics.

October 12, 2022: McDavid Reached 700 Career Points

On October 12, 2022, Connor McDavid scored a hat-trick against the Vancouver Canucks, reaching 700 career points. This achievement made him the sixth-fastest player in NHL history to reach this milestone and the fastest since the 1980s.

2022: NHL Declares No Player Participation in Olympics

Due to COVID-19 outbreaks, the NHL declared that no players would be allowed to participate in the 2022 Winter Olympics in Beijing, squashing McDavid's dream of competing in the Olympics.

2022: Cheerios Promotion and BetMGM Brand Ambassador

In 2022, Connor McDavid appeared on Cheerios cereal boxes as part of the "Be the Cheer" promotion and became a brand ambassador for BetMGM.

2023: Captain of the Oilers to Stanley Cup Final

In 2023, McDavid captained the Edmonton Oilers to the Stanley Cup Final for the first time since 2006.

April 15, 2024: McDavid Records 100th Assist of the Season

On April 15, 2024, Connor McDavid recorded his 100th assist of the 2023-24 season in a game against the San Jose Sharks, becoming the first NHL player in over three decades to achieve this feat.

2024: Won Conn Smythe Trophy

In 2024, McDavid won the Conn Smythe Trophy as the most valuable player in the Stanley Cup playoffs, despite not winning the Stanley Cup. He became the sixth player and the first since Jean-Sébastien Giguère in 2003 to achieve this.

October 6, 2025: McDavid Signed Two-Year Extension

On October 6, 2025, Connor McDavid signed a two-year extension with the Oilers, with an average annual value of $12.5 million, securing his future with the team.

2025: 4 Nations Face-Off Victory

In 2025, Connor McDavid was named alternate captain for Team Canada in the debut of the 4 Nations Face-Off. He recorded three goals, including the game-winning goal against Team USA, securing his first international gold medal since 2016 in a senior-level tournament and was named Player of the Game.