Connor Mcdavid named Olympic MVP as Hellebuyck and Hughes take top honors; Crosby explains final-game absence
connor mcdavid was voted most valuable player and best forward of the Olympic Winter Games Milano Cortina 2026 after a six-game tournament that saw him break an Olympic scoring mark and help Canada reach the final — a game he missed as captain because Sidney Crosby was sidelined by injury.
Connor Mcdavid’s record-breaking tournament
McDavid finished the Olympics with 13 points (two goals, 11 assists) in six games, topping the 11-point mark held by Teemu Selanne and Saku Koivu at the 2006 Torino Games for most at an Olympics with NHL participation. McDavid served as Team Canada captain for the final two games in place of an injured Sidney Crosby. The Oilers return from the Olympic break when they visit the Anaheim Ducks on Wednesday. McDavid’s NHL totals — 96 points (34 goals, 62 assists) in 58 games — lead the league and leave him chasing his sixth Art Ross Trophy and fourth Hart Trophy.
Hellebuyck’s 41 saves sealed U. S. gold
Connor Hellebuyck was named the tournament’s best goaltender after a 41-save performance that helped Team USA win its first Olympic gold medal since the 1980 Lake Placid Games with a 2-1 overtime victory against Canada. The Winnipeg Jets netminder broke Ryan Miller’s gold-game saves mark of 36 from the 2010 Vancouver Olympics and finished the tournament 5-0-0-0 with a 1. 18 goals-against average and a. 956 save percentage. In the final he stopped McDavid on a breakaway in the second period and made a desperation stick save on Devon Toews in the opening minutes of the third.
Quinn Hughes anchored the U. S. back end
Quinn Hughes, voted best defenseman, scored in overtime of a quarterfinal win over Team Sweden and finished the tournament with eight points (one goal, seven assists). That total tied Erik Karlsson’s 2014 Sochi mark and Brian Rafalski’s 2010 total for most by a defenseman in a single Olympic tournament. Hughes and the Minnesota Wild return to NHL play with a visit to the Colorado Avalanche on Thursday, holding the first wild card in the West.
Jets, Wild and Oilers head back to the NHL schedule
The Winnipeg Jets visit the Vancouver Canucks on Wednesday, trailing the Ducks by 11 points for the second wild card into the Stanley Cup Playoffs from the Western Conference, one season after winning the Presidents’ Trophy with an NHL-high 116 points. Hellebuyck, the reigning Hart and Vezina Trophy winner, carries NHL numbers of 13-16-7 with a 2. 79 GAA and a. 900 save percentage into the Jets’ post-Olympic stretch.
Why Sidney Crosby didn’t play in the gold-medal game
Sidney Crosby explained that he didn’t feel able to play in the gold-medal match and said the decision came down to preserving his health. Crosby said he didn’t expect to be able to play after the Czech game and praised the medical staff. With coach Jon Cooper having offensive options including Macklin Celebrini, Connor McDavid, and Nick Suzuki, Crosby said he would not compromise the team by playing if he wasn’t able to contribute. He still skated with his teammates to receive the silver medal.
U. S. redemption and memorable moments
Jack Hughes of the New Jersey Devils scored the golden goal 1: 41 into overtime to deliver redemption for the U. S., avenging a 3-2 OT loss to Canada in the championship game of the 4 Nations Face-Off at TD Garden in Boston on Feb. 20, 2025. Jack Hughes and Crosby are the only two players to score in overtime of an Olympic gold-medal game with NHL players. After the final, Quinn Hughes praised Hellebuyck’s performance, saying, “Hellebuyck was insane, ” in remarks published by the IIHF website. Hellebuyck called the victory “a dream come true” in remarks to NBC Sports, saying the group had fun, grinded and battled through some of the best hockey he had played.
Team USA’s gold ended a 46-year drought for American men’s Olympic hockey and left Team Canada with silver. What’s next on the calendar: the NHL resumes and the Oilers, Jets and Wild all return to their scheduled league games — Edmonton at Anaheim on Wednesday, Winnipeg at Vancouver on Wednesday, and Minnesota at Colorado on Thursday.
