Connor McDavid’s Stanley Cup prediction: “I don’t care”

Over the past few days, Connor McDavid kicked off his summer vacation with a tour around Europe with his girlfriend. As we speak, Connor’s checking out the French Open, probably grabbing a drink in the sun, and watching some tennis — nothing wrong with that. Vacation aside, Connor McDavid knows that people want a piece of him so he recently sat down with a couple Tennis reporters for an interview. They talked tennis, ping pong, and, of course, the Stanley Cup playoffs. 

You can watch the full interview here. It’s light and quick, and definitely worth a watch. In fact, it could have been an eight-hour interview with Connor and I still would have watched it. Besides the sunburnt forehead, Connor’s looking good as ever as he takes a dip in lake McDavid before getting himself ready for next season. Remember baby-Connor McDavid who entered the NHL just three years ago? I’m happy we get to watch him grow right in front of our eyes!

Back to the interview, there was only one question that really interested me and inspired me to write this article. In the very last question thrown his way, the two tennis dudes asked Connor who his pick is for the Stanley Cup finals and Connor’s response was classic.

Isn’t that the greatest thing you’ve heard all week? (Happy Monday, by the way). Connor was playing off the interviewers talking about how athletes who are knocked out of competition tend not to care about everyone else’s results, but it was obvious that Connor truly does not care about the outcome of the Stanley Cup finals. I mean, he could definitely be lying but I’m buying what he’s selling.

This reminds me of reading interviews with Sidney Crosby before he won any his three Cups. Sid would refuse to watch any hockey after the Penguins got knocked out because even seeing it made him sick. Then, in the offseason, after they got knocked out by the Wings in the 2008 finals, Crosby put up a picture of Detroit celebrating their Stanley Cup win in his workout room to inspire him while he was training.

I’m not sure if Connor is taking things that far, but right now he’s showing an awesome trait of a future Stanley Cup champion. The reason Connor doesn’t care who wins the Stanley Cup is because it won’t be him that’s lifting it over his head and that’s a painful thought for him. The only time he’ll care about the finals is when he and the Oilers are in it, competing for the ultimate prize. Doesn’t the idea of Connor McDavid leading the Oilers to the big dance just fire you up? It does for me. The fire Connor McDavid shows about winning is contagious, and it’s something this whole city can get behind.