Leo Carlsson & Co. made the surprise complete. © APA / SEAN M. HAFFEY

Clara's Ducks send McDavid & Co. on vacation

Winning the Stanley Cup remains an unfulfilled dream for Connor McDavid. After two bitter final defeats in the past two seasons, the Canadian and his Edmonton Oilers were eliminated in the first round of the NHL playoffs this time around by the Anaheim Ducks.

01 May 2026

From: dpa/leo

Four losses in six games – the decisive one being a 2-5 defeat at the Honda Center south of Los Angeles – saddled McDavid with another summer in which he has to process a major disappointment. "We were an average team all season. When you are that and still have high expectations, you're going to be disappointed," said the superstar.

The Oilers lost twice in overtime, but their fourth defeat against the Ducks was decisive. The score was already 1-3 after the first period, with the home team playing with unbridled energy in front of their fans. Oilers star Zach Hyman scored what appeared to be a goal to narrow the gap with 92 seconds remaining in the second period – but because he had inadvertently pushed the puck across the line with his skate, the goal was disallowed. Forty-six seconds later, the Ducks extended their lead to 4-1.

Connor McDavid will have to wait a little longer for the Stanley Cup. © APA / SEAN M. HAFFEY

Either way, the forward will once again have to come to terms with the fact that while he has won all the relevant individual awards in the NHL, the Stanley Cup remains elusive. Art Ross Trophy, Hart Memorial Trophy, Maurice "Rocket" Richard Trophy, Ted Lindsay Award – McDavid has already been the NHL's Most Valuable Player, top goal scorer, best player according to his peers, and leading point scorer. He has yet to win a championship.

Clara is staying in the USA

The young Ducks, however, usher in a new era with this victory. After seven years without a playoff appearance, Joel Quenneville's team has surprisingly reached the second round. There, they will face either the Vegas Golden Knights or the Utah Mammoth. For Italy's national team, however, the Ducks' advancement is not good news: Damian Clara, who is serving as the third-string goalie in Anaheim, will not be able to join the Azzurri roster for the time being.