The hockey world is running out of words to describe Connor McDavid.
The Oilers superstar solidified himself as the best player currently in the NHL a number of years ago. And just when fans think they've seen him reach his ceiling, he somehow proves them wrong.
The one knock on McDavid's resume is the lack of a Stanley Cup. He's got five Art Ross trophies, four Ted Lindsay awards, three Hart trophies, a Rocket Richard trophy and seven All-Star selections. The one major part missing is a championship and a Conn Smythe.
McDavid is doing everything in his willpower to change that in 2024. The Edmonton captain has quite literally put the team on his back through this postseason run, helping the Oilers to the team's first Stanley Cup Final appearance since 2006. In the process, he is cementing his status as one of the all-time great playoff performers and putting together what could be the single greatest postseason by an NHL player.
Another Oilers legend, Wayne Gretzky, owns the record for the most points in a single postseason. It's a record that has stood for nearly 40 years and has long been regarded as a mark that could not be broken in the modern era.
But McDavid is on the cusp of history. He is inching closer and closer to Gretzky's record as he and the Oilers attempt to bring the organization its first Stanley Cup championship since 1990.
Here is more to know about Gretzky's record and how close McDavid is to surpassing him on the all-time list.
MORE: Full playoff history for Connor McDavid
Most points in a single NHL playoffs
Gretzky holds the record for most points in a single postseason. He also owns the third-highest points total ... as well as the fifth and the sixth.
His postseason runs with the Oilers and the Kings were iconic as Gretzky took home the Conn Smythe as playoff MVP in 1985 and 1988. He's not called "The Great One" for nothing.
McDavid nearly cracked the top 10 two years ago during his sensational 2022 playoffs. The Oilers captain recorded 33 points during the team's run to the Western Conference Final, placing him in a tie for 18th on the list.
Now, not only is he in the top 10, but he's already in the top five, and he is threatening to potentially break what was once viewed as an unreachable record.
| Player | Team | Year | Points | Result |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Wayne Gretzky | Edmonton Oilers | 1985 | 47 | Won Stanley Cup |
| Mario Lemieux | Pittsburgh Penguins | 1991 | 44 | Won Stanley Cup |
| Wayne Gretzky | Edmonton Oilers | 1988 | 43 | Won Stanley Cup |
| Connor McDavid | Edmonton Oilers | 2024 | 42 | TBD |
| Wayne Gretzky | Los Angeles Kings | 1993 | 40 | Lost in Stanley Cup Final |
| Wayne Gretzky | Edmonton Oilers | 1983 | 38 | Lost in Stanley Cup Final |
| Paul Coffey | Edmonton Oilers | 1985 | 37 | Won Stanley Cup |
| Evgeni Malkin | Pittsburgh Penguins | 2009 | 36 | Won Stanley Cup |
| Mike Bossy | New York Islanders | 1981 | 35 | Won Stanley Cup |
| Wayne Gretzky | Edmonton Oilers | 1984 | 35 | Won Stanley Cup |
| Doug Gilmour | Toronto Maple Leafs | 1993 | 35 | Lost in Western Conference Final |
How many points does Connor McDavid have?
McDavid currently is at 42 points in 24 games for the 2024 playoffs. He's potted eight goals and 34 assists heading into Game 6 of the Stanley Cup Final.
The Oilers superstar kicked off the playoffs with a five-assist outing in Game 1 of the first round against the Kings, and he hasn't looked back. McDavid is up to 12 multi-point games in the 2024 postseason, including seven games in which he recorded at least three points.
MORE: Where is Connor McDavid from?
He's been held off the scoresheet just six times, and has yet to go back-to-back games without a point.
Here is a game-by-game breakdown of his 2024 playoffs.
| Game | Result | Goals | Assists | Points |
| Stanley Cup Final Game 6 | W, 5-1 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Stanley Cup Final Game 5 | W, 5-3 | 2 | 2 | 4 |
| Stanley Cup Final Game 4 | W, 8-1 | 1 | 3 | 4 |
| Stanley Cup Final Game 3 | L, 4-3 | 0 | 2 | 2 |
| Stanley Cup Final Game 2 | L, 4-1 | 0 | 1 | 1 |
| Stanley Cup Final Game 1 | L, 3-0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Western Conference Final Game 6 | W, 2-1 | 1 | 1 | 2 |
| Western Conference Final Game 5 | W, 3-1 | 0 | 1 | 1 |
| Western Conference Final Game 4 | W, 5-2 | 0 | 3 | 3 |
| Western Conference Final Game 3 | L, 5-3 | 1 | 1 | 2 |
| Western Conference Final Game 2 | L, 3-1 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Western Conference Final Game 1 | W, 3-2 (OT) | 1 | 1 | 2 |
| Second Round Game 7 | W, 3-2 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Second Round Game 6 | W, 5-1 | 0 | 3 | 3 |
| Second Round Game 5 | L, 3-2 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Second Round Game 4 | W, 3-2 | 0 | 1 | 0 |
| Second Round Game 3 | L, 4-3 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Second Round Game 2 | W, 4-3 (OT) | 1 | 3 | 4 |
| Second Round Game 1 | L, 5-4 | 0 | 1 | 1 |
| First Round Game 5 | W, 4-3 | 0 | 2 | 2 |
| First Round Game 4 | W, 1-0 | 0 | 1 | 1 |
| First Round Game 3 | W, 6-1 | 1 | 2 | 3 |
| First Round Game 2 | L, 5-4 (OT) | 0 | 1 | 1 |
| First Round Game 1 | W, 7-4 | 0 | 5 | 5 |
Connor McDavid vs. Wayne Gretzky stats
When McDavid was drafted No. 1 overall in 2015 to the Oilers, the immediate comparison was Gretzky. He was viewed as another generational talent that would be the best player in the world, hopefully leading Edmonton to a dynasty.
While the latter hasn't happened (yet), he has more than lived up to expectations. McDavid is well on his way to putting his name all over the NHL record books, both for his regular season play and in the postseason.
MORE: Where Connor McDavid's contract ranks among NHL players
As of now, Gretzky beats him when it comes to Stanley Cups and Conn Smythes, and his offensive output is still much higher than McDavid. However, at just 27 years old, McDavid is not slowing down anytime soon, and he is bound to win at least one championship at some point in his career, while boosting his stats.
Here is a closer look at the stats between the two Edmonton superstars, courtesy of Hockey Reference.
Regular season
| Connor McDavid | Stat | Wayne Gretzky |
| 645 | Games | 1,487 |
| 335 | Goals | 894 |
| 647 | Assists | 1,963 |
| 982 | Points | 2,857 |
| 0.52 | Goals per game | 0.60 |
| 1.00 | Assists per game | 1.32 |
| 1.52 | Points per game | 1.92 |
| 78 | PPG | 204 |
| 69 | GWG | 91 |
| 15.2 | Shooting % | 17.6 |
Postseason
| Connor McDavid | Stat | Wayne Gretzky |
| 73 | Games | 208 |
| 37 | Goals | 122 |
| 80 | Assists | 260 |
| 117 | Points | 382 |
| 0.51 | Goals per game | 0.57 |
| 1.11 | Assists per game | 1.25 |
| 1.63 | Points per game | 1.84 |
| 13 | PPG | 35 |
| 3 | GWG | 24 |
| 14.9 | Shooting % | 17.5 |
