Connor McDavid is the best hockey player in the world, with more accolades than you can shake a stick at: first overall pick in the 2015 NHL draft, youngest team captain in NHL history, three-time league leader in points, and two-time most valuable player award winner, to name a few. But there’s one fact McDavid wants you to know: “We live in Edmonton, Alberta, which for people [who] don’t know, is a very cold place.”
When you spend your days in the subzero temperatures of the Canadian winter and work in an adrenaline-fueled job on sheets of ice, having a place to call home is essential. McDavid and his girlfriend Lauren Kyle had Design Two Group build a three-story house that accommodates the bundled-up coziness of their particular focus on chill time—pun intended. It also pays homage to their shared modern aesthetic, thanks in large part to Kyle, who spearheaded the project as an interior designer. (Kyle and Co Design Studio is her own company.)
After McDavid signed a nine-figure, eight-year contract with the Oilers in 2017, the couple became serious about house hunting. They chose a custom-built home among the evergreen trees near the North Saskatchewan River valley after finding nothing on the market that matched their vision.
When it came time to review the finalized architectural plans, McDavid and Kyle decided to make one major change: on the basement level, next to the plush lounge and bar area, they commissioned what they call “the sports court,” (a basketball half court where McDavid roller-blades and works on his hockey skills most afternoons) as well as a home gym. They were ready to move in by 2019 (along with their then-new Bernedoodle, Lenard).
The open floor plan of the main floor is clearly one of McDavid and Kyle’s favorite features of the house today. McDavid wanted their home to be an open space for any teammates, family, and friends who came to visit (McDavid and Kyle are both from the Toronto area). “Connor being the captain, we knew we were going to have to host a lot,” Kyle explains. “This house has the feel of an entertainer’s home.” McDavid would have to concur. “I think our house has kind of become the designated team party house,” the hockey star jokes.
Aside from social functions, the area also fits Kyle’s personal style. “It’s a very sleek-looking house, with a lot of clean lines,” she describes. “There isn’t a lot of ornate detail.” It’s very contemporary while also having a slight traditional influence.”
So, what exactly is on the main floor? For starters, a kitchen with a large veined marble island that opens onto an expansive patio. There’s also a separate dining room with a massive RH table and chairs from Henge, an Italian brand that specializes in hand-burnished metals. The black-white-and-gray color scheme continues in the living room, where four green patina panels from local metalworker Forge 53 overlook the brown U-shaped sofa from Timothy Oulton, which can reportedly seat up to 30 people.
“It can be a pretty busy schedule for us in-season, and we don’t get a lot of downtime,” says McDavid, who loves to flop on that epic sectional. (“It’s such a nice, big, comfy couch,” he comments.) The metal panels in the living room slide back to reveal the television that McDavid enjoys watching in his brief moments of relaxation. In fact, there are TVs in unexpected places throughout the house, including one built into the foot of the primary bed by a local woodworker and another that hangs from above a fireplace in the upstairs lounge.
“I like that everything’s hidden,” Kyle says. “Even our bar has a brass door that slides over it.” We really wanted everything to be clean, but with a hint of mystery. As in, “What’s behind?”
Then there’s what’s on the deck, which wraps around much of the upper floor, including the master bedroom. The deck offers a stunning view of the river valley below. There’s also a two-person sauna with screens that can be closed to keep the wind out. Life begins to slow down for one of the fastest men on skates and his partner in places like these. “It’s a long cold winter here,” McDavid says, “so any chance you get to be outside, it certainly helps.”
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Lauren and Connor told the outlet that they started house hunting in 2017, after Connor signed a nine-figure, eight-year contract with the Oilers
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But when they couldn’t find one that lived up to their expectations, they decided to have their dream home custom built for them
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In the living room, there is a giant U-shaped sofa from Timothy Oulton that can seat up to 30 people, and a big, flat screen TV that is hidden by sliding metal panels
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In the basement there is a ‘plush lounge and bar area,’ as well as a home gym and a wine cellar
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Their bed was custom made by a local woodworker, and it also has a hidden TV built into it
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The house boasts a big kitchen with Miele appliances and a marble island in the middle, as well as a dining room with an RH table and chairs from the Italian brand Henge