The Edmonton Oilers have aspirations of adding to their already rich history by capturing what would be their first Stanley Cup since 1990.
Both Connor McDavid and Leon Draisaitl are already established as two of the best hockey players on the planet, and they’ve helped their club punch their ticket to the Western Conference Final for the second straight season.
The Oilers also have a rich history of housing some of hockey’s top talent, including the likes of Wayne Gretzky, Mark Messier, Paul Coffey, Grant Fuhr, and several others.
Mark Messier Shares His Thoughts On Oilers Duo Connor McDavid and Leon Draisaitl
Former Oilers captain Mark Messier, who won the Stanley Cup five times as a member of the club, believes that both McDavid and Draisaitl have cemented their place in Oilers history.
“I think any championship team has had generational players. We’re seeing it with Connor and Leon,” he said via The Hockey News. “It’s hard to compare styles because I don’t think anybody’s ever played the game the way Wayne has, as far as stylistically.
“You can compare (McDavid) to Wayne because of the way they played. They look like each other on the ice. They skate the same, but I don’t think anybody’s ever, and will ever play the game the way Wayne played.”
On this day in 1984, after the Oilers defeated the Islanders to win the Stanley Cup, Mark Messier was awarded the Conn Smythe #Hockey365 #LetsGoOilers pic.twitter.com/RrdujJiar9
— Mike Commito (@mikecommito) May 19, 2025
Messier enjoyed a Hall of Fame career, winning multiple championships with the Oilers before eventually playing for the New York Rangers, leading them to their most recent Stanley Cup victory to date in 1994.
While he later played for the Vancouver Canucks, he would return to the Rangers and finish his career in 2004.
Regardless, he will always be remembered for beginning his NHL career with the dynasty Oilers, and he can see a bit of himself and Gretzky in McDavid and Draisaitl.
“Nobody talks about Leon or Connor anymore and trying to compare them to a player that played in the past – they surpassed that,” Messier said. “Now they are Connor McDavid and Leon Draisaitl. And now, when a young guy comes in the league, they’re the guy that everybody’s comparing to, which is a huge evolution in a player’s career. You think about how many players are playing hockey globally, and to be at the very top of the sphere as being the best – that’s incredible.”
Both McDavid and Draisaitl are set to begin the Western Conference Final against the Dallas Stars for the second consecutive season; Game 1 between the clubs is set to be played on Wednesday evening starting at 8:00 p.m. ET.