Connor McDavid might just be the best player in the world.

But he’s not the Most Valuable Player in the NHL to his team this year.

That honour could go to teammate Leon Draisaitl, who is already going to be collecting the first Maurice ‘Rocket’ Richard trophy in his career after scoring a league-leading 52 goals in 71 games played.

And that’s got the Edmonton Oilers forward in the running for the Hart Memorial trophy as the player deemed most valuable to his team, alongside goaltender Connor Hellebuyck, of the Presidents’ Trophy-winning Winnipeg Jets; and Tampa Bay forward Nikita Kucherov, who led the league with 121 points (37 goals, 84 assists).

“It’s an honour, obviously. There are a tremendous amount of players that have been a part of that and have won it in the past,” Draisaitl said ahead of Thursday’s Game 6 of the opening-round series against the Los Angeles Kings at Rogers Place. “I’m obviously proud to be in that conversation with some pretty amazing players. I’m happy about it.”

Draisaitl won the goal-scoring race by seven tallies over Toronto Maple Leafs forward William Nylander in second place, despite missing 11 games due to injury.

Which begs the question, how many would he have scored if he had played all 82 games?

“You can ask that question, probably, for every player, right?,” Draisaitl said with a shrug. “Guys miss games here and there.

“Maybe it would have been a couple more, but you never know.”

One thing is certain, the Oilers don’t need a trophy to remind them just how valuable Draisaitl has been to this team. And not just this year, either.

“He’s pretty much irreplaceable, really,” said Oilers defenceman Brett Kulak. “And he’s a difference-maker every night that we’ve had him in the lineup, and you’re just seeing that game after game.

“He always steps it up even to another level in the playoffs.”

As offensively gifted as Draisaitl is, he has previously spoken out over the season about the focus he has been putting on the defensive side of his game in an effort to become more rounded.

Or even more valuable, if you will …

“It’s always going to be his offence that makes him special, for sure, but I think he takes a lot of pride in the D-zone too,” Kulak said. “He doesn’t just want to be a guy who’s always ahead of the puck and ahead of the play looking for points.

“I think he knows the points are going to come, just because when he gets the puck he kind of controls the play.”

Calvin Pickard has been getting a lot of attention for helping the Oilers get back into the opening-round series, after having fallen behind 0-2 against the Kings.

But the 33-year-old goalie is quick to dish off the kudos to the Oilers high-octane offence, and the guy who’s been the main driving force behind it all season long.

“I can’t think of anyone more deserving,” Pickard said of Draisaitl. “He had an unbelievable season, he’s an incredible player and a great friend too, so I’m not surprised one bit.

“Every night, he shows up, he does all the little things, he’s as clutch as can be and he’s huge for our team.”

It’s not the first time Draisaitl won the Hart trophy.

He claimed it in 2019-20 after leading the league with 110 points (43 goals, 67 assists), oddly enough, while also playing just 71 games that year. Of course, that was due to the COVID-19 interruption as opposed to injury.

It’s also just the second time since McDavid’s rookie season that a teammate has beaten the captain in points. And that’s saying something.

It’s also a good problem to have, if you’re the Oilers.

“For sure, we’ve got two of the best players in the world, and it’s so nice to be on their side rather than playing against them,” Pickard said. “They’re two great friends, great players but even better people. And it’s fun to be on their team.”

E-mail: gmoddejonge@postmedia.com

On Twitter: @GerryModdejonge

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