Connor McDavid has put together a stellar performance through four games at the 2026 Milan Olympics leading all scorers with 11 points. While the offensive production has drawn headlines, his teammates and captain Sidney Crosby have showered praises on the Edmonton Oilers superstar for a complete leadership display that extends well beyond the scoresheet.
Canada’s top-line centre’s approach to leadership has impressed even the most accomplished players on the roster. As the team prepares for their semifinal against Finland, McDavid’s performance offers insight into how his understanding of captaincy has matured both on the international stage and with Edmonton.
McDavid to wear the “C” in Crosby’s absence
The captain’s captain
Sidney Crosby, who knows something about leading Canada to Olympic gold, has been particularly impressed with McDavid’s all-around contribution in Milan.
“He’s doing everything,” Crosby said. “Whether it’s with the puck, without the puck, [being] physical, he’s leading by example in every possible way.”
McDavid set the tone immediately in Canada’s opening game delivering a big hit on his first shift. That physical engagement has continued throughout the tournament even as opposing teams have targeted him.
“He’s poised. Guys have taken some runs at him, he just continues to play,” Crosby noted. “He’s shown a lot of focus that way. He’s been leading the way for sure.”
The composure Crosby referenced has developed over McDavid’s years as Edmonton’s captain.
Tom Wilson, skating alongside McDavid on Canada’s top line, has experienced firsthand how the Oilers captain elevates those around him. The pace of play McDavid demands affects every aspect of the game.
“It’s pretty incredible,” Wilson said. “I mean, he’s playing on another level right now. He’s the best in the world. When he’s your linemate you might have to think the game a little bit quicker. You might have to get the puck to him a little bit quicker, but once he has it special things happen.”
Wilson has also observed that McDavid’s leadership extends beyond game situations. “A day like today, Connor and Sid are the hardest-working guys, executing at the highest level on the ice in practice,” he noted.
For Wilson, the experience has been significant: “Playing with Connor has been a highlight of my career. I can learn so much from him.”
Connor McDavid candid on wearing the C
McDavid’s focus in Milan connects directly to his ambitions with the Oilers. Before the Olympic break, he made clear what this season meant for Edmonton’s leadership group.
“We want to win here. Obviously that goes without saying,” McDavid said. “I think everybody understands that. Just doubling down on that and understanding how committed the group is here to getting it done.”
That singular focus on winning has become central to how McDavid views his role as captain. In a Players’ Tribune piece before the Olympics, he explained how his understanding of the captaincy has shifted over time.
“As I’ve gotten older, and we’ve had some deep playoff runs, wearing the C means something entirely different now,” McDavid wrote. “It’s not enough to put up points or represent the community well. All I want to do is win. It’s all we think about in our room. It’s all we talk about in the offseason. It’s why I get up every morning. It’s why I’ve stayed in Edmonton for more than a decade.”
His role in the Olympics is both an opportunity for international success and a chance to sharpen the leadership approach he’ll bring back to the Oilers.
Connor McDavid set on winning in Edmonton
McDavid has grown frustrated with how the Oilers’ recent playoff runs have been characterized, despite reaching consecutive Stanley Cup Finals. “I think there’s this narrative that we’re this unlucky, troubled team,” he said. “The end result hasn’t been there, but it’s not easy getting to two straight Cup Finals.”
He takes pride in how the team performs under pressure. “We really pride ourselves on being good playoff performers, and our room knows what we’re capable of. I believe in this group. If I didn’t, I wouldn’t have signed my extension.”
That contract extension he signed in the summer spoke of his belief that the championship he seeks is achievable in Edmonton. As he put it plainly in his Players’ Tribune piece: “If I can be real here for a second, I just want to win something again.”
As Canada faces Finland in the semifinals, McDavid continues to lead with the same qualities that have drawn praise from Crosby and Wilson. The records he’s setting and the points he’s producing are all great but it seems he has truly developed into a complete leader, one who understands that winning championships requires excellence in every aspect of the game.
Whether that leadership translates to Olympic gold in Milan and ultimately a Stanley Cup in Edmonton remains to be seen. But the commitment McDavid has shown both in his play and in his decade-long loyalty to the Oilers, suggests he’s determined to find out.
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