Connor McDavid shows up to beer league hockey game, team loses in blowout
Connor McDavid may have won the Hart Trophy last season, but he couldn't carry a beer league team to a victory in its championship game.
Have you ever wondered what facing an NHL superstar would be like? Well, a small group can now say they’ve done precisely that, as Connor McDavid took on some regular Joes earlier this week.
McDavid suited up in a beer league championship game held close to home in Newmarket, Ontario, as revealed by TSN hosts Marissa Roberto and Julia Tocheri. But the Edmonton Oilers captain looked slightly different than usual, or at least his jersey number did. Despite donning his usual blue and orange Oilers socks, McDavid wore No. 4 rather than his customary No. 97.
McDavid, playing for Team Blue, didn’t come away victorious in a surprising outcome and ultimately lost 9-4 to Team Red. Judging by the video, though, it’s fair to assume the six-time All-Star wasn’t giving his max effort, or else he likely could’ve won by himself.
The Richmond Hill, Ontario, native wasn’t the only ringer on the ice, as Los Angeles Kings forward Quinton Byfield — who signed autographs post-game — lined up on the winning side against his Pacific Division rival.
It’s a moment Byfield will surely not let McDavid forget any time soon, especially considering the recent history between the Kings and Oilers over the last couple playoff series — both ending in favour of Edmonton.
The 2022-23 season was historic for McDavid, who led the league in goals (64) and points (153) en route to capturing his third Hart Trophy as the NHL's most valuable player. He also won his fifth Art Ross and first Maurice Richard Trophy.
One accomplishment that still eludes him is the Stanley Cup, which the Oilers will be hunting again in 2023-24 after losing in six games during a second-round matchup to last season’s eventual champions, the Vegas Golden Knights.
Despite falling short in the playoffs and in this beer league game, McDavid did pick up one major win this summer, getting engaged to longtime girlfriend Lauren Kyle in June.
