McDavid's torrid pace in the playoffs has him shooting up the all-time leaderboards in assists and closing in on a Kane, a former Conn Smythe winner for the Blackhawks.
One of the best times to be a Chicago Blackhawks fan was between 2009 and 2015. The team not only won three Stanley Cups, but went on two other lengthy playoff runs. One of the core players through all of those years and success was Patrick Kane, a Blackhawks great.
Kane has appeared in the playoffs 11 times and has gone to the Stanley Cup Final three times, winning every time and securing the Conn Smythe Trophy once. He has played in 143 playoff games in his career, 136 with the Blackhawks.
Over all of those playoff games in Kane's career, he has 53 goals, 85 assists, and 138 points. Those are great numbers, but this is where it gets very impressive.
The hype throughout the 2024 playoffs has been for Connor McDavid leading the Edmonton Oilers to the Stanley Cup Final. One constant during this run by the Oilers has been McDavid's impact and production.
The Oilers took care of the Los Angeles Kings handedly in the first round, then came back from down 3-2 to the Vancouver Canucks to win the second round. Edmonton came back again from down 2-1 to the Dallas Stars in the Western Conference Final. The Oilers have done it one more time after being down 3-0 to the Florida Panthers in the Stanley Cup Final, then tying the series and sending it to Game 7.
Patrick Kane and Jonathan Toews with Blackhawks
Source: USA Today Network
McDavid is known as one of the best playmakers in the NHL. Following his 64-goal season in 2022-23, he posted 100 assists in 2023-24. He's continued that in these playoffs with 34 assists in just 24 games.
McDavid entered Monday night's game with 37 goals and 80 assists in 73 career playoff games. That pulled the Oilers captain just five assists short of Kane in 60 fewer postseason games.
McDavid has only played 73 career playoff games, getting to the final once and the conference finals one other time.
There is a slim chance that McDavid ties Kane in Game 7 of the Stanley Cup this year, but if anyone can do it, it's the Oilers center.
McDavid already put up back-to-back four-point contests in Game 4 and Game 5 of the final where he totaled five assists between the two games. If McDavid doesn't catch up to Kane in the final game of the 2023-24 season, there's a good chance he'll do it in 2025.
McDavid sits tied for 47th in all-time playoff assists and has to jump over four other players to catch up to Kane. The Blackhawks great sits 42nd all-time in playoff assists and I don't think he's appeared for the last time in the postseason. Wherever he winds up, he'll make it back and make an impact.
