The Edmonton Oilers are looking to be the team that officially ends the Canadian Stanley Cup drought. They came close in 2022, reaching the Western Conference Final. In 2023, they made it to the second round before falling to the eventual champion Vegas Golden Knights. For 2024, the Oilers are hoping to draw on these bitter losses.

Edmonton superstar Connor McDavid is the best player in the league and the team's captain. On Wednesday, he confirmed that the previous playoff failures have contributed to his newfound motivation this summer.

“In summers previous there are parts of the summer where you're like, ‘we're months away.’ You're kind of dragging your butt to the gym,” he said. “I never had any stretches like that this summer. It's been it's been really easy to get myself to the gym and onto the ice. It's been a very motivating summer.”

The biggest contributing factor stems from the loss to Vegas a few months ago. McDavid revealed that the feeling in the locker room after that fourth loss is something that remains on his mind to this day. “It's something that we're all going to want to hold on to,” the Oilers star told Sportsnet.

The Oilers last won the Stanley Cup back in 1990, defeating the Boston Bruins. Their last appearance in the Stanley Cup Final came in 2006 against the Carolina Hurricanes. Dating back to 1990, the Oilers have made the conference finals just three times.

Edmonton wants Connor McDavid to be the captain to bring the Cup back home. And they certainly have the pieces in place. It's all about taking the pain from those previous losses and using it to drive the team further and further.