C Connor McDavid (2015, 1st, EDM) VII

[JA]

He is not better then Crosby overall. Crosby is a once in a lifetime athlete which we might not see again in the history of modern era Hockey.

The hype will die down after people realize McDavid's talents are generational but even he will not reach the level of play of #87.

Based on what I've seen, it seems that Connor McDavid's skill set is not as diverse as Sidney Crosby's. His weakest attribute is his shot. He doesn't appear to score many goals with his shot nor does he take too many long-distance shots. Everything is scored from around the net.

His entire 2014-15 playoff goal reel consists of him speeding down the right wing and cutting towards the net, hanging around the crease and behind the goal line, breakaways, and occasionally a chance in the low slot. He needs to be around the net to score goals.

His assists, meanwhile, seem to come off the rush, as well as from quick, blind passes from behind the goal line or at the side of the net to his teammates.



Connor is a sneaky, accurate passer with great speed and a very quick, deceptive hands. He has a few primary tendencies, but his strategy of attack is not particularly varied, and his arsenal is not all that diverse.

The greatest NHL players are unpredictable; they have a variety of different skills that they can rely on, and possess exceptionally creative minds. Connor risks being a predictable player. NHL coaches and the league's top defensemen will figure out how to neutralize their opponent's tendencies; that never stopped the best players of all time from being extremely effective, but I don't know if Connor's talents are diverse enough for him to overcome those obstacles and to ever meet the ridiculous expectations that have been placed on him.

As I was looking through video today of the McDavid reports, one scout said that Connor was a cross between Rick Nash and Patrick Kane. Kane himself is a pretty tricky hockey player, and while Connor is a faster skater, Kane has two skills that McDavid lacks -- a great slap shot and a deadly wrist shot.

I have to ask myself how much better Connor could be than Patrick Kane. Kane can rifle the puck, which makes him dangerous anywhere in the offensive zone.




Connor might be one of the better offensive players in the NHL when he reaches his prime, but I just see him being another very skilled player among the NHL's roster of impressive talents. I don't think he is at all "The Next One."

 

[Montag DP]

Those who haven't seen McDavid yet can watch all of his shifts from his last two preseason games here:



Oilers Archivist has released a shift-by-shift video for each of his last two games. Evaluate for yourselves.

I watched the first one and thought he looked pretty good. You can definitely see that his speed and hands already make him a dangerous player. He definitely does need to adjust to the physicality and speed of NHL defensemen, which is to be expected. I also agree that the hype machine is way out of control and some people will probably be disappointed if they truly expect him to be the best player in the league out of the gate. That's just unrealistic.

He and Eichel are both going to be really fun to watch this year, though. Based on the preseason performances I've seen of both of them (which for McDavid has just been that one shift video) they are going to be lighting it up by the end of the year, if not before. It should be a fun Calder race. For McDavid, if he can develop an above average NHL wrist shot and not shy away from the physical play, he's going to be really difficult to stop.

 

[Mr Jiggyfly]

He's been pushed around a bit for sure. Doesn't seem to be the kind of guy who likes getting hit, very different from Crosby in that regard, who thrived off of high contact play.

When the big boys start earning their paychecks, they are going to go after him hard. It's obvious that's coming. Not only because it's their job, but because many guys will be jealous and want their pound of flesh. They will test him and see how he responds. If it gets him off his game, the abuse will only get worse.

Oilers are going to need to protect him as much as possible with a mob mentality, but ultimately it will fall on him to fight through it and remain focused on his game.

 

[Ducks Nation*]

Those who haven't seen McDavid yet can watch all of his shifts from his last two preseason games here:



Oilers Archivist has released a shift-by-shift video for each of his last two games. Evaluate for yourselves.

The thing I notice most is how terrible Justin Schultz is.

 

[JA]

When the big boys start earning their paychecks, they are going to go after him hard. It's obvious that's coming. Not only because it's their job, but because many guys will be jealous and want their pound of flesh. They will test him and see how he responds. If it gets him off his game, the abuse will only get worse.

Oilers are going to need to protect him as much as possible with a mob mentality, but ultimately it will fall on him to fight through it and remain focused on his game.

The Oilers don't exactly possess the sort of culture that would promote the protection of their players as an automatic response.

Too many of the Oilers' forwards could be deemed passive. If things get rough on the ice, they're more likely just to stand around or try to ignore it. Something Oilers fans have talked about is adding toughness. The team's management needs to work on that. The intensity of games increases once the season begins.

 

[JA]

The thing I notice most is how terrible Justin Schultz is.

It wasn't long ago that Justin Schultz was expected to become an elite defenseman.

http://bleacherreport.com/articles/1238413-justin-schultz-21-year-old-phenom-is-crowning-jewel-of-2012-free-agency

Justin Schultz: 21-Year-Old Phenom Is Crowning Jewel of 2012 Free Agency
By Josh Schoch , Analyst Jun 27, 2012

After turning his back on the Anaheim Ducks, Justin Schultz has immediately become the most sought-after free agent available.

In a free agency class that also features Ryan Suter and Zach Parise, the value of signing such a talented player who could become the face of a franchise to such a low-level deal makes him the crowning jewel of the class.

The NHL looks to welcome in a budding star, and the question is: where will he sign?

The 21-year-old certainly has options, as TSN commentator Bob McKenzie is reporting that no less than 26 teams have expressed interest in the defenseman.

...

As a rookie he will be subjected to an entry-level contract of $925,000, which is an absolute steal for a player of his caliber.

Schultz is an offensive-minded defender who was a stand-out at the University of Wisconsin. In his last two seasons with the Badgers he recorded 91 points in 78 games for an average of 1.17 points per game.

He is an excellent defender who can also impact the game on the offensive end. He is a complete player who will be a stud in the NHL in a few years, and well-worth $925,000.

...

The best part about Schultz's free agency is that it does not restrict teams from signing other free agents. His initial contract is so minuscule that it would be possible to sign both him and another great free agent like Suter or Parise.

Everything about this kid makes him more and more popular with NHL GMs, and there is no doubt that he is the biggest free agent in this year's class.

http://www.thehockeynews.com/articles/47887-Schultz-signs-with-Edmonton-hands-off-freeagent-baton-to-Parise.html

Schultz signs with Edmonton, hands off free-agent baton to Parise
The Canadian Press
2012-06-30 14:03:00

After being courted by NHL teams at the Newport Sports offices in suburban Toronto for much of the week, Schultz agreed to terms with the Edmonton Oilers on Saturday afternoon. The first big free-agent decision of the summer came several hours before the floodgates were set to officially open at noon ET Sunday and left Oilers general manager Steve Tambellini in a celebratory mood.

"What a way to start the free-agent period," Tambellini told reporters in Edmonton.

...

Even though Schultz has yet to play a NHL game, he was considered one of the top players available in free agency this year. Twenty-six teams showed interest in him and Edmonton's sales pitch included phone calls from Wayne Gretzky and Paul Coffey.

...

Schultz is seen as perfect acquisition for the rebuilding Oilers. The native of West Kelowna, B.C., will turn 22 next week and is virtually assured of playing in the NHL next season.

He'll join a team that features three consecutive No. 1 overall draft picks, with Edmonton just having added Russian winger Nail Yakupov to a lineup that includes Ryan Nugent-Hopkins, Taylor Hall and Jordan Eberle.

...

http://theahl.com/schultz-captures-ahl-s-eddie-shore-award-p183262

Schultz captures AHL's Eddie Shore Award
April 17, 2013

SPRINGFIELD, Mass. … The American Hockey League announced today that Justin Schultz of the Oklahoma City Barons has been named the winner of the Eddie Shore Award as the AHL’s outstanding defenseman for the 2012-13 season. The award is voted on by coaches, players and members of the media in each of the league’s 30 cities.

Schultz is the first rookie in the 55-year history of the Eddie Shore Award to win the honor.

In just 34 games for the Barons, Schultz totaled 18 goals and 30 assists for 48 points and amassed a plus-8 rating, seven power-play goals, two shorthanded goals and three game-winners. By the time he played his last game for the Barons on Jan. 5, Schultz was on pace to shatter the single-season AHL records for goals (20), assists (47) and points (66) by a rookie defenseman. More than three months after his recall to the National Hockey League, Schultz still leads all AHL defensemen in goals, points, power-play goals (tied), shorthanded goals (tied), power-play points (tied) and shooting percentage.

Schultz began his professional career by registering a point in each of his first nine games with Oklahoma City, followed by a 10-game scoring streak from Nov. 10 to Dec. 8. He was selected as the CCM/AHL Player of the Week on Oct. 22 following his second week of pro hockey, and was later named the league’s Player of the Month for October and Rookie of the Month for November. He was also selected to the AHL’s All-Rookie Team last week and earned a spot on the First All-Star Team as well.

...

http://www.rantsports.com/nhl/2013/08/12/edmonton-oilers-justin-schultz-bound-for-superstardom-in-2013-14/

Edmonton Oilers: Justin Schultz Bound For Superstardom In 2013-14?
By Randy Holt on August 12, 2013

The Edmonton Oilers came into the offseason with a clear idea of what they needed to do to improve their team and get back into the postseason next year, and it started on the blue line. With one major building block on defense, they needed to add depth and pieces to compliment him.

That piece is Justin Schultz, who is heading into his second year with the club. We’ve seen flashes of him potentially becoming an elite defenseman. Of course, he was prone to some rookie struggles, and tired towards the end, but has a very bright future with Edmonton.

Schultz was among the league leaders in scoring for defenseman, finishing the season with 27 points in 48 games, a solid scoring rate for a blue liner. Over half of his points came with the Oilers on the power play, as he added four goals and 11 assists with the man advantage.

His scoring total ranked fifth on the team overall, and he finished tied for the team lead in points on the man advantage. If what we saw last year is any indication, he can be an offensive force from the back end, and could be even better heading into the 2013-14 season.

The main reason for that is the adjustment factor. He’s had a year to adjust, not only to the level of play, but to the duration of the schedule. He admitted that he tired out towards the end of the season, a problem that should not exist in his second season with the club.

It’s clear that the Oilers have a special one in Schultz. Heading into his second full season with the Oilers, and playing for that next contract, there’s really no reason that he can’t take the next step and be a lock as the no. 1 defenseman for the Oilers moving forward.

Be wary of the hype machine.

 

[Ducks Nation*]

Hall plays out of control....I only watched the one vs Canucks dude is never balanced lol

And from that video I think McDavid would flourish more at Wing than Center

 

[McRpro]

Wish I remember how Crosby looked in his rookie pre-season. All we have is the 4-1-2-3 stat tagline. I wonder how many people would have been saying the same things about Crosby as a few people on this forum are saying about McDavid now.

 

[Mr Jiggyfly]

Wish I remember how Crosby looked in his rookie pre-season. All we have is the 4-1-2-3 stat tagline. I wonder how many people would have been saying the same things about Crosby as a few people on this forum are saying about McDavid now.

Those games weren't televised and feeds back then I'm not sure existed like now.

He was a machine from his first regular season game. I think his first assist was to Orpik and he coasted down right wing and threw a no look pass out to the opposite circle and Orpik scored. He had his first goal in his third game in Boston and had 24 points in his first 20 games.

So that should give you a good barometer going fwd if you want to compare him to Crosby. Crosby got the hell kicked out of him during most of that stretch so unfortunately as I said McDavid will have to deal with that garbage as well.

 

[WhiskeyYerTheDevils]

Those games weren't televised and feeds back then I'm not sure existed like now.

He was a machine from his first regular season game. I think his first assist was to Orpik and he coasted down right wing and threw a no look pass out to the opposite circle and Orpik scored. He had his first goal in his third game in Boston and had 24 points in his first 20 games.

So that should give you a good barometer going fwd if you want to compare him to Crosby. Crosby got the hell kicked out of him during most of that stretch so unfortunately as I said McDavid will have to deal with that garbage as well.

Crosby actually had his first assist to Recchi in NJ. His assist to Orpik was his 3rd and it was against Boston (be had a 3 point night).

But Crosby was noticeably more dominant than what we've seen from McDavid, especially in terms of physical strength and puck control.

 

[Bourdon]

McDavid's shot is pretty average. The reason why he was able to score as many goals as he did is because of his hands in and around the net. I think he compares to Tavares in this regard and is why Tavares isn't able to translate his lofty goal scoring legacy in juniors to the NHL level. There is room for improvement in this area and I expect McDavid to work hard on this moving forward, much like Tavares did. McDavid has the work ethic of superstars like Crosby, Tavares, and won't be satisfied with mediocrity.

McDavid is less polished of a player than Crosby was. Crosby was already quite well developed as a player with a strong lower body core and great balance. Crosby excels at board play; the strength to work and win board battles is something that sets Crosby apart from many superstar players. McDavid has never really had to do these things at the junior level. Crosby already had a very good shot in addition to a diverse shot selection. Who could forget that backhand shootout water bottle popper against Theodore? I think this bodes well for McDavid because there's room for growth.

However, there are reasons why many scouts believe McDavid's upside could be greater than Crosby. McDavid's skating is sublime; he's explosive, agile, with the ability to change speeds and direction at will. He can stick handle at high speeds with no loss of control. He has a wider wingspan than Crosby, which means he'll be more difficult to stop.

I wouldn't be surprised to see Eichel have a better rookie year, at least statistically. Eichel plays a more mature game already, with strong board play, a complete arsenal of shots, and physical development. I wouldn't be worried for McDavid at all though. He'll adjust quickly because he is likely the smartest player on the ice on any given night.

 

[Ducks Nation*]

Eichel seems like more a of center than McDavid, I think McDavid would be better at wing (but what do I know)

 

[Soundwave]

Part of the issue with "generational" players is I think it's harder to have a generational talent today.

The entire movement of coaching/goaltending in the NHL from the mid-1990s to today (with maybe a brief reprieve in that 05-06 season where they called everything as a penalty) is to basically STOP an individual offensive player from being too dominant.

It's all about "you can beat us, but if you beat us it better be by some fluke pinball goal that deflects off three people".

Unfortunately hockey has become fixated on stamping out the creativity of players.

I'm not sure if Crosby is truly generational even either. He's had the 2nd best player in the world on his team for the majority of his career and he has 1 Cup to show for it and two scoring titles after 10 years. Yes I know injuries and everything, but does a generational player get knocked out of the 1st round in his prime/peak late 20s and get shut down like he did last spring?

It's more the game that has changed I think.

I don't know if we'll ever see a player like Gretzky or Lemieux again that is jut ridiculously beyond anyone else in the game. We may get a player equally as talented sure, but they won't be able to impact the game in the same way because the game is so different.

 

[habsrule4eva3089]

I can't wait to see this kid on international ice surface whether at Worlds or Olympics.

The physicality of the NHL and the compressed area will give him an adjustment period, but with extra room and time he's going to be electric beyond belief anytime he plays tournaments.

 

[Giggleplex]

Im curious what you mean by that? like he was quiet cause he played against Sedins all night and Sedin line shut him down?... I didnt watch the game at all so I really don't know how he played

50% CF with 12% ZS against Vancouver's top lines. He created some nice chances and stole the puck from the Sedins a couple times. He played a much different game from the one last Thursday and was actually pretty effective.

 

[do0glas]

It would be a huge disappointment if mcdavid wasn't a franchise center.

 

[duul]

It would be a huge disappointment if mcdavid wasn't a franchise center.

You can watch him play and see evidently he is ahead of RNH as a player already and RNH isn't any slouch. Pretty sure he logged the most TOI for all centres in the league last year and has gone up against the #1 CENTRES in the league his entire career.

 

[Mr Jiggyfly]

Crosby actually had his first assist to Recchi in NJ. His assist to Orpik was his 3rd and it was against Boston (be had a 3 point night).

But Crosby was noticeably more dominant than what we've seen from McDavid, especially in terms of physical strength and puck control.

His first goal I believe was a simple rebound he picked up and banged in from the side of the net. Nothing pretty.

People forget he played with Lemieux his rookie year. I think he retired for good a month later.

 

[Mr Jiggyfly]

Part of the issue with "generational" players is I think it's harder to have a generational talent today.

The entire movement of coaching/goaltending in the NHL from the mid-1990s to today (with maybe a brief reprieve in that 05-06 season where they called everything as a penalty) is to basically STOP an individual offensive player from being too dominant.

It's all about "you can beat us, but if you beat us it better be by some fluke pinball goal that deflects off three people".

Unfortunately hockey has become fixated on stamping out the creativity of players.

I'm not sure if Crosby is truly generational even either. He's had the 2nd best player in the world on his team for the majority of his career and he has 1 Cup to show for it and two scoring titles after 10 years. Yes I know injuries and everything, but does a generational player get knocked out of the 1st round in his prime/peak late 20s and get shut down like he did last spring?

It's more the game that has changed I think.

I don't know if we'll ever see a player like Gretzky or Lemieux again that is jut ridiculously beyond anyone else in the game. We may get a player equally as talented sure, but they won't be able to impact the game in the same way because the game is so different.

Crosby had the misfortune of having a GM who expected him to do everything with coal miners on his wings. It will always be one of the great head scratchers of this era that it took a decade to get Crosby a legit first line winger.

As dominant as Lemieux was, he only won one playoff series until Francis, Recchi, Cullen, Stevens, Mullen and Jagr came along to help spread out the scoring and take the pressure off him.

 

[Ducks Nation*]

Just watched the 2nd vs Canucks video....Taylor Hall kills soooo many plays, haven't watched him play in a while, brutal. I don't think McDavid should play with him in both videos he killed the play so many times with idiotic passes or just not receiving the puck. They have no chemistry and seems like they don't play well together, have they tried McDavid with Yak?

 

[Mc5RingsAndABeer]

He's a turnover machine who doesnt use his linemates well, no wonder other players struggle to gel with Hall

He is a "turnvover machine" because he is called upon to generate more offense than the vast majority of players in the league

If you ranked players by turnovers, it's essentially PMD and every primary offensive talent that has the puck on his stick. Subban, Tavares, Karlsson, Thornton, Doughty, Getzlaf, Hedman, etc...

I'm surprised this isn't common knowledge by now. If you're going to use the statistic, know what it means.

 

[Acallabeth]

Just watched the 2nd vs Canucks video....Taylor Hall kills soooo many plays, haven't watched him play in a while, brutal. I don't think McDavid should play with him in both videos he killed the play so many times with idiotic passes or just not receiving the puck. They have no chemistry and seems like they don't play well together, have they tried McDavid with Yak?

Damn, if only the Oilers had more 1st overall draft picks...

 

[JA]

Here's a brand new article published a few hours ago by the Edmonton Sun. They did a half-hour phone interview with Wayne Gretzky.

http://www.edmontonsun.com/2015/10/04/edmonton-oilers-legend-wayne-gretzky-talks-about-rookie-connor-mcdavid

Edmonton Oilers legend Wayne Gretzky talks about rookie Connor McDavid
By Terry Jones, Edmonton Sun
First posted: Sunday, October 04, 2015 09:51 PM MDT | Updated: Sunday, October 04, 2015 10:00 PM MDT

Wayne Gretzky swears he had it easy compared to how Connor McDavid will have it this week going into his first game and first days in the National Hockey League.

...

There’s another thing that Gretzky said is definitely different between his debut in the NHL and that of McDavid: Not everybody in the hockey world was guaranteeing No. 99’s greatness.

...

“I had a lot more doubters than Connor McDavid. Put it that way.” Gretzky isn’t a doubter about anything when it comes to McDavid. He believes McDavid will achieve greatness and waste little time doing it. “He’ll be up against men now. Everybody he’ll be going up against will be a good player. Travel is different. Lifestyle is different. But I anticipate and expect him to make a real smooth transition. I expect him to get off to a really nice start and have a great career.”

...

Gretzky is looking forward to being one of McDavid’s biggest fans and I’m convinced that’s because he sees so much of himself in the kid.

“He sees the ice and has great peripheral vision and he’s a hard guy to sort of blindside. That’s something you have to have, especially when you have a lot of focus on you,” said Gretzky in the half-hour telephone interview. “I tell people the same thing Glen Sather told me when I walked in the locker room when I was 17. He said ‘One day I want you to be the captain of this team and one day we’re going to win a championship. I think that’s the direction Connor is heading.

“And that’s not to put any undue pressure on him. Great athletes welcome that kind of pressure. And great athletes understand that’s what it is all about. You want to be that guy in that position... I really believe he wants to be that guy in that position... I think he’s going to be surrounded by players who want to be in that position. And as an organization they have a great scenario. They’re moving into a beautiful arena and fans are excited and ecstatic about what they have to look forward to.

“My goodness. I wish I was 18 and could play again.”

...

Rightfully or wrongfully, No. 99 knows it is Connor McDavid versus Wayne Gretzky as the final Edmonton Oilers season in Rexall Place begins. While the rest of the hockey world has been perhaps viewing McDavid as a generational player to take over from Sidney Crosby, this is Edmonton. This is where he played his first NHL season at the same age.

...

Gretzky, who figures to be here a few times this season with Glen Sather’s banner raising and the events surrounding the last season for the Oilers in Rexall Place, says he’s going to be following McDavid closely. And not just because of the comparisons involved, he said, but because of the memories involved with his own first season knowing there will be games where scenes and scenarios will trigger a mountain of memories.

“I’m sure I’ll be thinking of a lot of moments as I follow him through the season.”

And he urges McDavid to suck it all in.

...

Wayne sure isn't making it easy for Connor...

 

[1Gold Standard]

Here's a brand new article published a few hours ago by the Edmonton Sun. They did a half-hour phone interview with Wayne Gretzky.

http://www.edmontonsun.com/2015/10/04/edmonton-oilers-legend-wayne-gretzky-talks-about-rookie-connor-mcdavid

Wayne sure isn't making it easy for Connor...

I haven't counted, but from the few pages in this thread I perused, your countless contributions, you're just as guilty of adding to the hype...albeit the inverse negative hype...but just as guilty. It seems just about everybody with an agenda wants to attach their name to this guy...he must be good.

 

[Soundwave]

Here's a brand new article published a few hours ago by the Edmonton Sun. They did a half-hour phone interview with Wayne Gretzky.

http://www.edmontonsun.com/2015/10/04/edmonton-oilers-legend-wayne-gretzky-talks-about-rookie-connor-mcdavid

Wayne sure isn't making it easy for Connor...

What's wrong with that article? If anything it provides some good perspective for some people:

“I didn’t have to go up against the No. 1 centre every night. Stan Weir was the guy to centre the No. 1 line. He was a veteran player. He was a sort of 25-goal, 45-assist guy and a strong two-way player.

“It took about 40 games in the NHL where I really felt mentally comfortable.â€

Even according to Gretzky it wasn't until half way through his first year where he started to feel comfortable playing at an NHL level.