Intrigue surrounds soft-spoken Connor McDavid prior to NHL debut against Blues
ST. LOUIS – Edmonton Oilers wing Taylor Hall is glad that teammate Connor McDavid is facing the big and burley St. Louis Blues (8 p.m., ET) in his first NHL game tonight because trial by fire is akin to advanced training for a prodigy of his stature.
“This is a tough building to play in, and it’s a tough team,” Hall said. “I don’t know if it gets more difficult than this. You kind of almost want it that way.”
Everyone in the NHL seems fascinated by McDavid’s potential, including the St. Louis players who will be assigned to stop him tonight.
“(There’s) a level of curiosity and a level of containment, to make sure you are not the first guy danced around by the young guy,” Blues defenseman Kevin Shattenkirk said.
McDavid’s first NHL game has taken on a special status. Considering that McDavid is considered a generational player, this opportunity to see McDavid’s first game feels like witnessing Beethoven’s first concert or seeing Meryl Streep act in her first movie
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What scouts say is that McDavid has a presence and skill level that it is difficult to describe. Oilers coach Todd McLellan said McDavid has an advanced understanding of hockey strategy.
“The questions that he asks, they’re often a-step-ahead questions,” McLellan said. “He’s been able to absorb and put into play some of the concepts we’ve tried to put into place.”
He's a more dependable as an all-around player than a teenager should be. "His commitment level to both ends of the ice is high," McLellan said.
Canadian-born McDavid said he slept well Wednesday night, but it hit him when we woke up this morning that he will making his NHL debut. He says he’s a bit nervous. “I’m living out my dream,” he said. “There’s nothing better than that.”
McDavid plays like Superman, but acts like Clark Kent. He’s so soft-spoken that he is barely audible during mass interviews.
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"The way he presents himself is really impressive,” said Blues coach Ken Hitchcock. “He’s humble, like Gretz. He is sincere, very complimentary to existing veteran players in the league. He has respect for the history of the game. But we have to beat him.”
McDavid’s demeanor has been compared to Wayne Gretzky before, but the consensus viewpoint is that McDavid will have an offensive input similar to Sidney Crosby's.
Crosby had 102 points in his rookie season, placing him sixth in the NHL scoring race. You can find scouts who believe it’s possible that McDavid could do the same at 18. But it is more challenging to score goals than it was 10 years ago. The consensus viewpoint is that it would be exceptional if McDavid could generate around 70 points.
The Oilers have attempted to tamp down the hype over McDavid because he is still a teenager who has never had to face off against the likes of Ryan Getzlaf or Ryan Kesler or Anze Kopitar or Jonathan Toews. He's at a physical disadvantage because of the big centers in the Western Conference.
“We have all seen what he can do in practices and in (preseason) games,” Hall said. “It’s important to remember he’s 18. I’m 23 and I still have bad games. There’s going to be some trials and errors.”
But McDavid seems to make fewer errors than most players. He’s a thinking man’s player, like most of the great players are.
“Self-evaluation is very important to him and he does a good job of it, (always) thinking about 200 feet (of ice) rather than just his attack mode,” McLellan said.
Nothing seems to be bother him, except maybe that he can’t be treated like everyone else. The superstar treatment he receive infringes on his instincts to be a team-first player
“He’s working really hard to just first in and just be himself,” McLellan said. “He doesn’t want to be special. He doesn’t want to be treated any differently. But obviously he is.”