Connor McDavid, the Edmonton Oilers captain and center, was surprised with the Ted Lindsay Award at Magna Golf Club in Aurora, Ontario, in a celebration arranged by his wife, Lauren, and family members. The annual honor is voted on by fellow NHL Players’ Association members and recognizes the league’s most outstanding player.
McDavid believed he was simply heading out for a routine nine holes of golf and dinner, but the plan had been carefully hidden from him. Lauren said he had no idea what was coming, and that surprises are rare because she does not often manage to catch him off guard. As McDavid and Lauren approached the ninth hole, his parents, Brian and Kelly, along with his brother Cam, Cam’s wife, and four childhood friends arrived behind them in golf carts. His parents then stepped out, with his father holding the Ted Lindsay Award.
McDavid said he had noticed that his friends were not replying to his texts during the round, which he later realized was part of the surprise. He described the moment as especially meaningful because it brought together family, hometown friends, and people he does not often get to see. The setting made the award presentation feel personal and memorable.
The recognition caps another dominant season for McDavid, who led the NHL with 138 points, including 48 goals and 90 assists. The award is one of the most prestigious individual honors in hockey because it reflects the respect of the league’s players.
This is the fifth time McDavid has won the Ted Lindsay Award, adding to his previous victories in 2016-17, 2017-18, 2020-21, and 2022-23. Only Wayne Gretzky has also reached five wins, placing McDavid in rare company. Brian McDavid said the comparison is surreal, noting that Gretzky is one of the most iconic players in the sport. He added that his family has long viewed Connor as exceptionally dedicated, recalling that his father called him “the little pro” when he was just 7 years old.
For the McDavid family, the day was about more than another trophy. It was a chance to celebrate a career that has already become historic while sharing the moment with the people who have been there since the beginning. Brian McDavid said the journey has felt dreamlike and that honoring Connor in such a personal way made the occasion especially meaningful.
