Connor Mcdavid named Olympics MVP as USA’s Hellebuyck and Quinn Hughes earn awards
Connor Mcdavid was named the Most Valuable Player of the men's hockey tournament at the 2026 Winter Olympics, leaving Milan with a silver medal and a tournament record. The announcement is notable because Mcdavid finished with 13 points (two goals, 11 assists), the most for any NHL player at the Olympics, while the United States took gold and two of its players won top positional honors.
Connor Mcdavid's 13-point Olympic record
Connor Mcdavid closed the tournament with 13 points — two goals and 11 assists — surpassing the previous NHL Olympic benchmark of 11 points shared by Finland’s Teemu Selanne and Saku Koivu in 2006. That total secured him the Olympic MVP award and a place among the tournament directorate's three best players for Canada. What makes this notable is that the point total established a new individual standard for NHL players at the Winter Games, directly influencing the selection for MVP.
Jack Hughes' golden goal at 1: 41
The gold medal game went to overtime, where Jack Hughes produced the decisive moment, scoring the golden goal at 1: 41 of the extra period to give the United States a 2-1 victory over Canada. The overtime finish ended Canada’s bid for gold and left Connor Mcdavid and his teammates with silver despite Mcdavid’s record offensive output.
Connor Hellebuyck and Quinn Hughes honored
The tournament’s individual awards also recognized United States players: Connor Hellebuyck received the best goalkeeper award, and Quinn Hughes was named the best defender. Those awards accompanied the U. S. gold-medal performance and underlined the defensive and goaltending contributions that helped force and win the overtime period that decided the final.
Gold medal match at Milano Santagiulia Ice Hockey Arena
The men's gold medal match between Canada and the United States took place on day 16 of the Milano Cortina 2026 Winter Olympic games at the Milano Santagiulia Ice Hockey Arena in Milan, Italy, on Feb. 22, 2026. Photographs from the first period captured Jack Eichel wearing No. 9 for Team United States and Nathan MacKinnon wearing No. 29 for Team Canada facing off during play. The game’s location and the late, sudden-death ending framed the tournament finale.
Mcdavid's NHL accolades and the 2024 Stanley Cup Final
Connor Mcdavid entered the Olympics with recent high-profile achievements in the NHL. He is a three-time Hart Trophy winner as the league’s MVP and had been named playoff MVP in the NHL in 2024, a postseason that ended when his team fell short to the Florida Panthers in the 2024 Stanley Cup Final. Those credentials added to expectations for his Olympic performance and were factors in post-tournament honors.
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The award roll call from the tournament directorate left a clear record: Connor Mcdavid as MVP and among the three best players for Canada, with Connor Hellebuyck and Quinn Hughes receiving top positional awards for the United States. The sequence is straightforward: Mcdavid’s record-setting point total led to the MVP distinction, while the U. S. defensive and goaltending performances, capped by Jack Hughes’ overtime winner at 1: 41, produced the result that denied Canada the gold.
