{"id":469429,"date":"2026-02-24T10:42:42","date_gmt":"2026-02-24T10:42:42","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.rawchili.com\/nhl\/469429\/"},"modified":"2026-02-24T10:42:42","modified_gmt":"2026-02-24T10:42:42","slug":"insider-offers-theory-on-why-connor-mcdavid-has-struggled-to-get-over-the-hump","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.rawchili.com\/nhl\/469429\/","title":{"rendered":"Insider Offers Theory on Why Connor McDavid Has Struggled to Get Over the Hump"},"content":{"rendered":"

No matter where you\u2019re from or who you root for, it was tough to see Connor McDavid<\/a> come as close as you possibly can, only to once again lose in heartbreaking fashion \u2014 this time in overtime of the Gold Medal game at the 2026 Winter Olympics on Sunday.<\/p>\n

The world\u2019s best player was exactly that all tournament long \u2014 literally impossible to contain \u2014 while putting up numbers we\u2019ve never seen at an Olympics with NHL players. However, when all was said and done, McDavid was stymied in the do-or-die final, agonizingly forced to watch<\/a> Matthew Tkachuk<\/a> and the Americans celebrate.<\/p>\n

Whether it\u2019s the Stanley Cup \u2014 twice \u2014 or now the Olympics, it\u2019s hard to explain how McDavid keeps coming within inches of the finish line, only to have it ripped away at the last second. There\u2019s likely no single explanation for it, though insider Jeff Marek did his best to pinpoint where things might be breaking down.<\/p>\n

Marek said<\/a>:<\/p>\n

\u201cConnor is, I don\u2019t want to say selfish, because when you have that kind of skill you should be selfish. You should be, you\u2019re helping your team by doing things that other players shouldn\u2019t do, ie grab the puck 3-on-3 and try to end it yourself. But that\u2019s what we saw a lot of Connor, trying his best to end this thing. You know, there\u2019s the old saying if you have to win you can never win. To me Connor is more than obsessed about winning and I don\u2019t want to say it gets in his way. But man you look at him after a game like yesterday against the United States, I don\u2019t know, I feel bad for the guy.\u201d<\/p>\n

The 29-year-old McDavid took home yet another trophy in a losing effort, winning Olympic MVP thanks to his 13 points (two goals, 11 assists) in just six games.<\/p>\n

That being said, it\u2019s obviously not the trophy he would have preferred to win, and the only game McDavid was held off the scoresheet was the most important of them all \u2014 despite how hard and how well he actually played.<\/p>\n

\"TeamTeam Canada McDavid upset<\/p>\n

At some point, a player of this type of talent \u2014 to some, the most gifted we\u2019ve ever seen<\/a> \u2014 is going to break through and have his moment. We saw that he\u2019s capable of it at the 4 Nations Face-Off.<\/p>\n

McDavid will continue to get cracks at Lord Stanley in Edmonton alongside Leon Draisaitl<\/a> and a strong core that should remain in contention for at least the next few years.<\/p>\n

However, the sting of taking home silver at his first Olympic Games \u2014 and now having to wait another four years, when he\u2019ll be 33, just to get another chance \u2014 is going to take a long time to wear off, if it ever does.<\/p>\n

It\u2019s not his fault the NHL didn\u2019t participate in the 2018 and 2022 Olympics, but that doesn\u2019t make it hurt any less \u2014 both personally and for his legacy. You can be sure McDavid will be as motivated as ever come 2030, because it may represent his last, best opportunity to win a gold medal while leading the charge for Team Canada.<\/p>\n

Next: Former GM Suggests the Oilers Pursue a Multi-Player Trade with Blackhawks<\/a><\/p>\n

\tDiscover more from NHL Trade Talk<\/p>\n

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