Connor Mcdavid Named Olympic MVP as Hellebuyck, Quinn Hughes Claim Top Awards After Milano Cortina Tournament
Connor Mcdavid was voted most valuable player and best forward of the Milano Cortina 2026 Olympic tournament, a recognition that capped a six-game run that helped deliver medals and individual honors across the podium. The outcomes reshuffle narratives for NHL contenders returning from the Olympic break and left reverberations through the Canada and USA rosters.
Connor Mcdavid's tournament performance and records
The Edmonton Oilers captain, who served as Team Canada captain for the final two games in place of an injured Sidney Crosby, totaled 13 points in six games (two goals, 11 assists). That mark broke a previous Olympic record of 11 points set by Teemu Selanne and Saku Koivu at the 2006 Torino Games for most points at an Olympics with NHL participation. Mcdavid returns to NHL action with his club visiting the Anaheim Ducks on Wednesday. His NHL totals at the time stood at 96 points in 58 games (34 goals, 62 assists), leading the League and placing him in contention for a sixth Art Ross Trophy and a fourth Hart Trophy as League MVP.
Hellebuyck's gold-medal night and goaltender honors
Winnipeg Jets netminder Connor Hellebuyck was named the tournament's best goaltender after a 41-save effort that capped a 2-1 overtime win for Team USA over Canada, giving the United States its first Olympic gold medal since the 1980 Lake Placid Games. Hellebuyck broke the previous record for saves in a gold-medal game with NHL players, surpassing a 36-save mark from the 2010 Vancouver Olympics. During that final, he stopped Mcdavid on a breakaway in the second period, made a desperation stick save against Devon Toews in the opening minutes of the third, and finished the tournament 5-0-0-0 with a 1. 18 goals-against average and a. 956 save percentage.
Quinn Hughes honored, U. S. depth and playoff implications
Quinn Hughes of the Minnesota Wild was voted the tournament's best defenseman. He scored in overtime to defeat Sweden in the quarterfinals and compiled eight points (one goal, seven assists), tying Erik Karlsson (2014 Sochi) and Brian Rafalski for the most points by a defenseman in a single Olympic tournament. Hughes and the Wild return to the NHL with a visit to the Colorado Avalanche on Thursday, holding the first wild-card spot in the Western Conference. Meanwhile, the Jets, trailing the Ducks by 11 points for the second wild card into the Stanley Cup Playoffs from the West, were preparing for a visit to the Vancouver Canucks on Wednesday. Hellebuyck, the reigning Hart and Vezina Trophy winner, entered his club return with an NHL record of 13-16-7, a 2. 79 GAA and a. 900 save percentage.
Sidney Crosby's absence, explanation and Team Canada fallout
Sidney Crosby did not play in the Olympic gold-medal match, and he later explained his decision, saying, "I just didn't feel like I was able to play. I didn't think I'd be in that position after the Czech game. I think our medical staff was incredible and, unfortunately, I wasn't able to go. You saw that game, it was incredible hockey. It was a tough decision. In your head, you always want to be out there and find every way possible, but not at the expense of what needs to be done. " The decision was framed as an effort to preserve his health. Coach Jon Cooper still had a wealth of offensive talent available — including Macklin Celebrini, Connor McDavid and Nick Suzuki — but the team struggled to gain full control in the final, which culminated with Jack Hughes scoring the golden goal that ended a 46-year U. S. gold-medal drought.
Jack Hughes, family threads and tournament milestones
Jack Hughes, a New Jersey Devils forward, scored the golden goal 1: 41 into overtime to secure the title for the United States. That goal served as redemption for a 3-2 overtime 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 Sidney Crosby are the only two players to score in overtime of an Olympic gold-medal game with NHL players. On the tournament's emotional side, Jack Hughes reflected on the strength of USA Hockey's bonds, saying the brotherhood and support among players meant a great deal to him.
Reactions, personal notes and outstanding fragments from coverage
Quinn Hughes, the tournament best defenseman, called Hellebuyck "insane" in published remarks, noting the speed, skill and special player depth Canada displayed. Hellebuyck called the Olympic title "a dream come true, " adding that he loved the group, that they had so much fun, that they grinded and battled, and that it still had not honestly sunk in; he described the result as surreal and said he did not know how long the feeling would last. Crosby skated with his teammates to receive the Olympic silver medal and described the outcome as disappointment for the entire group. He also suggested this may have been his final time wearing the Canada maple leaf and expressed hope for recovery so his NHL club's Stanley Cup hopes could continue.
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Technical aside from a national site
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Schedule notes mentioned in tournament wrap-ups: NHL clubs affected by the Olympic break were set to resume with the Oilers visiting Anaheim on Wednesday, the Jets visiting Vancouver on Wednesday and the Wild visiting Colorado on Thursday. Tournament and season statistics and playoff races remain subject to change as clubs return to the NHL calendar.
