Connor Mcdavid Named Olympics MVP After Canada Takes Silver in Milan
connor mcdavid finished the Milano tournament with a record 13 points and leaves Milan as a silver medalist and the Most Valuable Player of the 2026 Winter Olympics men's hockey tournament. The outcome mattered because the United States defeated Canada 2-1 in overtime to claim gold, denying Canada the top podium spot.
Connor Mcdavid’s tournament numbers
Connor McDavid totaled 13 points at the Olympics, recording two goals and 11 assists. That point tally set a new mark for an NHL player at the Olympic men's tournament, surpassing the 11 points shared by Finland's Teemu Selanne and Saku Koivu at the 2006 Games. The statistical milestone was a central factor in the tournament-directorate's Most Valuable Player selection.
Jack Hughes’ overtime goal in Milan
The gold medal game was decided in overtime when Jack Hughes scored the golden goal at 1: 41 of the extra period, giving the United States a 2-1 victory. The sudden-death finish delivered the U. S. the gold medal and left Canada with silver despite McDavid's record offensive output.
U. S. awards for Hellebuyck and Quinn Hughes
Alongside the tournament MVP honor for McDavid, two American players received individual awards: Connor Hellebuyck was named the tournament's best goalkeeper and Quinn Hughes was named the best defender. Those recognitions highlighted the U. S. roster's strengths in net and on the blue line that contributed to the overtime win.
Playoff MVP in 2024 and the 4 Nations Face-Off
McDavid entered the Olympics with recent high expectations after being named NHL playoff MVP in 2024 while his club fell short to the Florida Panthers in the 2024 Stanley Cup Final. He had also scored the overtime goal in the 4 Nations Face-Off final prior to the Olympics, a performance that intensified anticipation for his play in Milan.
Faceoff image at Milano Santagiulia Ice Hockey Arena
Images from the gold medal match captured Jack Eichel (#9) of Team United States and Nathan MacKinnon (#29) of Team Canada facing off in the first period on day 16, Feb. 22, 2026, at the Milano Santagiulia Ice Hockey Arena in Milan. The single-game details—player numbers, date and venue—underscore the event setting for the decisive matchup.
What makes this notable is that McDavid produced an Olympic record for an NHL player yet left without gold: his 13-point output clearly affected the tournament's awards but could not change the final result in sudden death. The cause-and-effect is direct—the record-setting point total helped secure the MVP award, but the U. S. overtime goal at 1: 41 produced the game result that determined medal color.
Finally, a minor technical note emerged alongside coverage: usatoday. com displayed a message stating that a reader's browser was not supported and suggested downloading a modern browser to ensure the best site experience. That advisory was separate from play on the ice but appeared in the same reporting cycle.
