Back-to-back Stanley Cup champions. The Florida Panthers have completely broken the Oilers, and Connor McDavid was caught in the crossfire - again.
The conversation amongst hockey fans have all surrounded McDavid since the Stanley Cup Final began: When he wins the Cup, he'll surpass Sidney Crosby on the all-time greats list. (If you don't think that conversation is happening, it is way more than you think.)
Well, he lost.
Do I feel bad for him? Sure, a little.
But let this be a lesson to everybody who is still confused: Until McDavid wins one, he will NOT be greater than Sidney Crosby. I've covered this ad nauseam over the last several months dating back even to the Four Nations Faceoff.
I won't waste your time restating all those points. You can read them HERE. They remain true months later, and they will still be true until McDavid wins one.
It's Not McDavid's Fault
The Oilers did McDavid very few favors in the second iteration of the Longest Distance Cup. However, the whole "he can take over a game" conversation begins to be moot when he fails to do so.
And that's exactly where Sidney Crosby continues to be superior: consistency.
Connor McDavid is consistently the greatest player on earth - until he isn't. And if you fail to be yourself even for a moment in the Stanley Cup Final, someone on the other bench will find themselves and beat you to the punch.
Sidney Crosby has never allowed that to happen to him. Ever since he was beaten in 2008, his impact in the Penguins' Cup runs is found in the intangibles. Goals and assists are great, but there's a lot of ice to cover. The Kid made sure he was never in that photograph again.
McDavid Will Be Back
McDavid just ran out of steam this year.
Will he be back? Yeah.
With the Oilers? Mm. I might cover that in a future article.
When it's all said and done, McDavid will win his Cup, he will. Then, we can start to compare him to the modern-day G.O.A.T.
Until then, Sid reigns supreme.