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Oilers’ McDavid, Draisaitl named Hockey Hall of Fame locks by The Athletic

Connor McDavid Leon Draisaitl Edmonton Oilers

Photo credit: Winslow Townson-USA TODAY Sports

By Zach Laing

Aug 11, 2026, 15:00 EDTUpdated: Aug 11, 2026, 13:33 EDT

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If Edmonton Oilers superstars Connor McDavid and Leon Draisaitl were to never play another game in their NHL careers, they would be Hockey Hall of Fame locks, according to a recent analysis done by The Athletic.

The outlet, for the third straight year, has looked at the top tiers of NHL players and where their chances are of being enshrined in the Hockey Hall of Fame.

The Athletic set out to do its own research, talking with writers around the league and other experts to classify six tiers:

They could retire today and make it
Probably in — and still rising
Keep compiling
Outside shots
On track
Check back in a few years

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@TheAthleticNHL

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For the third consecutive year, The Athletic is looking at the top tier of NHL players, examining which of them could someday be enshrined in the Hockey Hall of Fame in Toronto. Here’s who we think is a lock 🔒

4:21 PM · Aug 10, 2026

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McDavid and Draisaitl found themselves in the “they could retire today and make it” tier, and it’s easy to see why. McDavid already sits 47th overall in the NHL’s all-time point total ranks with 1,220, while Draisaitl sits 82nd with 1,053 points. McDavid sits a respectable 107th in goal scoring, with 409, while Draisaitl is up at 81st, with 434.

McDavid already has an overflowing trophy cabinet, with three Hart Trophies, five Ted Lindsay Awards, six Art Ross Trophies, a Rocket Richard Trophy, and a Conn Smythe Trophy. The only one that’s missing is a Stanley Cup.

While Draisaitl may not have as many trophies, he’s got some of the biggest: one Hart Trophy, a Ted Lindsay Award, an Art Ross Trophy, and a Rocket Richard Trophy.

This isn’t the first time they’ve been on this list. McDavid was on the retire today list in 2024, while Draisaitl found himself on the “right on the cusp” list, but graduated to the retire today list last year.

They aren’t the only ones to return to The Athletic’s list, either, as for the second straight year, Evan Bouchard found himself on the bottom tier, among those to “check back in a few years.” The Athletic, wrote this of the polarizing defenceman in their 2025 list:

“Bouchard is one of the more polarizing players in hockey. He’s a brilliant offensive player, even when not on the ice with McDavid and Draisaitl, but is prone to defensive lapses. Still only 25, his hopes could depend on if Edmonton gets over the hump and wins the Stanley Cup in the coming years.”

Never say never.

Zach Laing is Oilersnation’s managing editor and The Nation Network’s news director. He can be followed on X at @zjlaing, or reached by email at zach.laing@bettercollective.com.

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