Connor McDavid and Leon Draisaitl Understand Canada’s Pressure Play

Connor McDavid and Leon Draisaitl Thrive Under Pressure

Connor McDavid and Leon Draisaitl are two of the best players in the world. McDavid won the Conn Smythe Trophy during the 2024 Stanley Cup Playoffs, but the Oilers fell short in the Stanley Cup Finals, losing in seven games to the Florida Panthers.

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McDavid and Draisaitl have high standards when they lace up their skates and play. Not only do others expect them to play at a high level night in and night out, but they expect that from themselves.

Two weeks ago, Derek Van Diest joined the NHL Network with Tony Luftman and Bruce Boudreau and was asked about the pressure Connor McDavid, Leon Draisaitl, and all the other players of the Edmonton Oilers playing in Canada, and Van Diest said it is more than an internal game. pressure than external pressure.

** NHLRumors.com transcript

Tony Luftman: “Being in Edmonton, seeing what it was like during the Cup final, pressure is a privilege. There is a lot of pressure in that market because there is a lot of love. How much pressure do you think is on McDavid and Draisaitl to win a cup for Edmonton?”

Derek Van Diest: “think there’s a lot of pressure that there’s a lot of pressure, not just in Edmonton but in Canada. Canada has yet to win the Stanley Cup. A Canadian team has not won the Stanley Cup in such a long time. So I think the pressure is there, and I think part of it is that. But if you ask Connor McDavid, if you ask Leon Draisaitl, no matter if the external pressure makes them work, I think they put more pressure on themselves to perform.

I think the pressure is internal. So when it comes to their performance, you see the way they practice, the way they play, they want to be at the front. They want to win that cup. And obviously they want to win it for themselves. And the markets will obviously be happy that the playoff drive was unbelievable here this year. People were really excited, and they’re preparing for another one with the roster moves they’ve made, but yeah, I think there’s pressure on him, because it’s going to be, what’s going to be Connor McDavid’s legacy?

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Will he go down as one of the greatest players in the NHL, never win a Stanley Cup, or will he be able to solidify that legacy by winning a Stanley Cup but winning every trophy there is to win individually, including the Conn Smythe and more, but now he needs that big team trophy to really solidify his place in the history of the game as one of the best players in the game.”

There’s a reason why Connor McDavid and Leon Draisaitl are the top two centers in the NHL: they don’t take nights off and thrive under pressure. They are able to perform under bright lights, whether they are outdoor or indoor.