6 Degrees of Connor McDavid

The future for any of us is a cloudy speculation. So many things can happen in a second to change our life’s direction. However, if I did have to lay some money down on a general, long-term bet, I would put it all on Connor McDavid winning the Art Ross Trophy at least once over his National Hockey League career.

Yes, I want to apologize in advance for yet another Connor McDavid related article. Read on, you’ll find it doesn’t really have that much to do with him.

Will Smith went a little artsy in his young acting career and did a movie called ‘Six Degrees of Separation’ in 1993. The basis of the movie, and the book it was based on, was that everyone on the planet can be connected via blood relation to any other human by six connections or less.

A few years ago, I did ‘Six Degrees of Brian Kilrea‘ for OHL Alumni Central and connected the great coach with Joe Malone. They weren’t blood connections but roster connections. Since Kilrea has played with so many players and coached so many players, I figured it would be a great basis for an article series. Unfortunately, it fell by the wayside and the Kilrea > Malone article was the only one written.

Well, since I’m pretty confident McDavid is going to with the Art Ross Trophy, let’s connect the young phenom with the man behind the scoring leader trophy, Art Ross. I was actually was able to do it in five degrees, thanks to Robbie Ftorek and his limited time with the Detroit Red Wings as a player and his 27 games as coach of the Erie Otters in 2012-13.

Connor McDavid

We all know McDavid’s story. According to Sportsnet, he was responsible for all goals during the 2014-15 Ontario Hockey League playoffs, even the ones in games that didn’t involve the Erie Otters. 2014-15 was Connor’s third and, presumably, final season in the OHL with the Otters.

He played a total of 166 regular season games over his three years, scoring 97 and assisting on 188 for 285 points. This past year, he was awarded the Red Tilson Trophy as OHL MVP and was also named the CHL Player of the Year. He also won gold with Canada at the 2015 IIHF World Juniors.

Yet, ironically, McDavid did not win a scoring title in the OHL. There is no doubt he would have in 2014-15 if not for some extensive injury time. Connor did play a major role in Connor Brown winning the Eddie Powers Trophy in 2013-14 and Dylan Strome taking the title in 2014-15.

McDavid was coached by Robbie Ftorek in his rookie OHL season, 2012-13. At least, for the first 27 games.

Robbie Ftorek

Ftorek took over the head coaching job in Erie during the 2007-08 season. He enjoyed some success over his stay but in 2011-12, the Otters tanked, winning just ten of 68 games. The performance earned Erie the right to pick McDavid first overall at the 2012 OHL Priority Selection.

27 games into 2012-13, the Otters had won just seven games. Robbie’s days as head coach came to an end, replaced by Kris Knoblauch. But, for 27 games, he was head coach and mentor for Connor. Ftorek’s knowledge would have been of some value to McDavid as he’s topped 100 points in four consecutive WHA seasons and knew a little about scoring.

Ftorek played 334 regular season games in the NHL between 1972-73 and 1984-85 with the Detroit Red Wings, Quebec Nordiques and New York Rangers. In between, he played in the World Hockey Association from 1974-75 to 1978-79 with the Phoenix Roadrunners and Cincinnati Stingers.

Over his time in the WHA, Robbie scored 216 and assisted on 307 for 523 points over 373 regular season games. In four of those five years, he topped the 100 point plateau. In 1991, Ftorek was inducted into the U.S. Hockey Hall of Fame.

Back in 1972-73, Robbie played just three games with the Red Wings. Playing in his last full season with Detroit that year was Alex Delvecchio.

Alex Delvecchio

Back in 1972-73, Fats probably didn’t even take notice of this Ftorek kid who dressed for three games. Both played for the Red Wings in 1973-74 but both only appeared in a handful of games.

Delvecchio played in the National Hockey League from 1950-51 to 1973-74, all with the Red Wings. He appeared in an amazing 1,550 regular season games, scoring 456 and assisting on 825 for 1,281 points. Alex played in 121 Stanley Cup playoff games, adding 104 points.

Alex never won the Art Ross Trophy but he was the recipient of the Lady Byng on three occasions. He went on to coach the Red Wings from 1973-74 to 1976-77. In 1977, Delvecchio as inducted into the Hockey Hall of Fame.

Delvecchio played his first NHL game in 1950-51 with Detroit. He played with Sid Abel for that one game in 1950-51 then through the 1951-52 season. Alex was then coached by Abel from 1957-58 to 1969-70.

Sid Abel

1951-52 was Sid’s last season with the Red Wings but he did go on to play parts of two more years with the Chicago Blackhawks. Sid started his career with Detroit in 1938-39 and in 1948-49 was awarded the Hart Trophy as league MVP. In 1969, Abel was inducted into the Hockey Hall of Fame.

In his first NHL season, Sid played just 15 games for the Wings. Playing the full 48 game schedule and leading the team in scoring that year with 41 points was Marty Barry. It was the last Barry played for Detroit.

Marty Barry

Marty played in the NHL from 1927-28 to 1939-40 with the New York Americans, Boston Bruins, Detroit Red Wings and Montreal Canadiens. Like the rest of the players listed here, Barry never won a scoring title in the NHL. However, like Delvecchio, his name is on the Lady Byng Trophy, winning the award in 1936-37.

Over his NHL career, Marty played in 508 regular season games, scoring 195 and assisting on 192 for 387 points. In the playoffs, he added 33 points over 43 games. A true ironman, Barry didn’t miss a single game from 1929-30 to 1938-39.

His first NHL hockey came in 1927-28, appearing in six games for the Americans. He became a full-time NHLer in 1929-30 with the Bruins. Marty entered the Hockey Hall of Fame in 1965.

During his time with the Bruins, Barry was coached by none other than Art Ross. Ironically, the Bruins didn’t win a Stanley Cup during the time that Marty was on the roster but won the championship the year after he left.

Art Ross

Known more for the trophy named after him and lengthy time as head coach of the Bruins, Ross was at the end of his playing career with the NHL evolved from the NHA in 1917-18. In that inaugural season, Art played sparingly with the Montreal Wanderers.

Ross was head coach and general manager of the Boston Bruins from 1924-25 to 1944-45, although periodically others took over the coaching role. He was behind the bench for just one Stanley Cup, 1938-39. The Bruins won in 1928-29 but with Cy Denneny behind the bench and again in 1940-41 with Cooney Weiland as head coach. Directly following those two wins, Art Ross took over again as head coach.

Art was inducted into the Hockey Hall of Fame in 1949. The season before, 1947-48, was the first year the Art Ross Trophy was awarded to the NHL’s leading scorer.