2015 Draft - 1st pick: Connor McDavid

[SK13]

Yeah, I think Soundwave pretty much nailed it.

There's a saying that gets thrown around Hollywood a lot: Treat one fan like a friend and they'll tell ten people, blow one off and they'll tell everyone they ever meet.

There are lots of one-sided stories and exaggerations that come with second-hand accounts with the famous. I expect it applies to hockey players in Canadian fishbowls almost as hard as it does famous actors and singers.

 

[Kronicals]

So what's the situation going to be with Eberle? Wasn't he living with Hall up to this point?

 

[T-Funk]

So what's the situation going to be with Eberle? Wasn't he living with Hall up to this point?

No they have their own places now.

 

[MettleMcOiler]

Canadian hockey fans have a nasty habit of ganging up on star players. They love them, but the only thing they love as much is to hate them. If you believe everything you hear ...

In Vancouver, Luongo supposedly had attitude issues, his wife wanted out from Vancouver for years.

In Calgary, Dion Phaneuf apparently was the devil, got into a fist fight with Iginla, slept with the half team's wives, and then after that Iginla himself was a bad locker room influence, wouldn't back check, sabotaged Brent Sutter. Oh and Kiprusoff is apparently a raging coke fiend.

In Winnipeg ... Evander Kane, Dustin Byfuglien are the worst people ever born. In Montreal ... well it gets reeeeeal ugly when they turn on players (see Carey Price raising his arms at fans during a game), Roy-gate, etc. Toronto ... Nuff said.

I hate to say it but a lot of hockey fans in Canada also have that fish bowl/small town mentality. Too many think they could've been in the NHL too with a break here or there and are deep down a little bitter that they're making $11/hour instead of millions.

So it becomes that thing of "look at Taylor Hall over there enjoying his beer, smug ******* with his fancy imported beer, having a drink when he should be resting. Now he's talking to that cute girl and her friends are coming over too! The nerve of this guy, just because you're rich doesn't mean you should throw it my face! I wanted to talk to that girl! Shouldn't you be winning some hockey games?!".

NHL players have thousands upon thousands of interactions with fans in person, it's impossible that all those interactions are going to be positive, but fans think they should be because "if I made $6 million I'd be the perfect angel". No you wouldn't. Everyone has their weird run-ins with people that for whatever reason go awkwardly or badly even, it's just that if you're an NHL player, get ready for that "fan" to go running to the internet and make up a larger than life story about how you have an attitude problem.

Isn't it convenient too that none of these "outrageous" stories are ever about 4th line boring players. Weird coincidence that it's always about the team's 1/2/3 best players. It's never "Zack Stortini has an attitude problem".

 

[CantHaveTkachev]

I really don't give a crap where he lives nor what he does in his private time...and neither should Oiler fans

just bring it on game days

can you imagine if Tyler Seguin was here instead of Hall??

 

[Kolja]

I think it's Hall that gets to live with McDavid, no?

 

[K1984]

Canadian hockey fans have a nasty habit of ganging up on star players. They love them, but the only thing they love as much is to hate them. If you believe everything you hear ...

In Vancouver, Luongo supposedly had attitude issues, his wife wanted out from Vancouver for years.

In Calgary, Dion Phaneuf apparently was the devil, got into a fist fight with Iginla, slept with the half team's wives, and then after that Iginla himself was a bad locker room influence, wouldn't back check, sabotaged Brent Sutter. Oh and Kiprusoff is apparently a raging coke fiend.

In Winnipeg ... Evander Kane, Dustin Byfuglien are the worst people ever born. In Montreal ... well it gets reeeeeal ugly when they turn on players (see Carey Price raising his arms at fans during a game), Roy-gate, etc. Toronto ... Nuff said.

I hate to say it but a lot of hockey fans in Canada also have that fish bowl/small town mentality. Too many think they could've been in the NHL too with a break here or there and are deep down a little bitter that they're making $11/hour instead of millions.

So it becomes that thing of "look at Taylor Hall over there enjoying his beer, smug ******* with his fancy imported beer, having a drink when he should be resting. Now he's talking to that cute girl and her friends are coming over too! The nerve of this guy, just because you're rich doesn't mean you should throw it my face! I wanted to talk to that girl! Shouldn't you be winning some hockey games?!".

NHL players have thousands upon thousands of interactions with fans in person, it's impossible that all those interactions are going to be positive, but fans think they should be because "if I made $6 million I'd be the perfect angel". No you wouldn't. Everyone has their weird run-ins with people that for whatever reason go awkwardly or badly even, it's just that if you're an NHL player, get ready for that "fan" to go running to the internet and make up a larger than life story about how you have an attitude problem.

Isn't it convenient too that none of these "outrageous" stories are ever about 4th line boring players. Weird coincidence that it's always about the team's 1/2/3 best players. It's never "Zack Stortini has an attitude problem".

This.

In fact, I know someone that bumped into Taylor Hall in a Cactus Club bathroom when the Oilers were in the gut of a bad losing streak in year 1 of Eakins. He told Hall to keep his head up and keep playing and the wins would come. Said Hall was very appreciative and said that they're working on it.

Now how would that contrast with the likely thousands of dickheads that flood bars in this city that would have loved to beak him for the same losing streak? And you can bet that when Hall doesn't react in kind the story that they retell doesn't start with them acting like *******s.

 

[488fitter]

The more these guys bond, the more they'll want to fight for one another. The Oiler teams of recent past have been divided, and Hall and McDavid will play a big part in uniting this team to resemble a roster that plays a cohesive game. Nothing but good things will come out of them living together for 97's first season or two. This is getting a pretty overblown here.

Great post soundwave.

 

[oobga]

Not worried about Hall imparting any supposed bad habits on McDavid. McDavid is a lot more like Nuge, level headed kid that won't be doing anything that will take away from his ability to give his all on the ice. And even if Hall has bad habits personally, I think the team culture Chia and McLellan will build will help him and our other young guys mature over time.

 

[NewBoysClub97*]

Just read Gregors article . I didn't know Gadzic lived with Hall as well. Apparently he is a great cook lol

 

[Aceboogie]

I'll chime in on hall. As a 24 yo and avid bar goer, I've seen hall around a ton, and I so have hockey buddies (drafted oilers from e town) as well as know some personal inside the room (trainer):

Hall at the bar is kind of like your prototypical star in a sports mad city. Wherever he goes, everyone follows and watches. There was one time I remember he was standing with a friend having a casual and I was talking to this girl who worked thete doing beer tubs and shot trays, and she was commenting on how she just wanted to give hall a drink so bad. Well she ran up and fan girled and interupted a convo and gave him a shot. You could tell he didn't want to drink and annoyed because he was having a chill night. He gave the shot to his buddy and kind of briefly talked to her and thanked her. Anyway later that night I saw her and she was still so mad he brushed her off and didn't drink with her and was telling everyone. But uta funny because he was being a normal guy and got ripped for not drinking with every fan. And he doesn't need a free shot, he makes 6m. These are the type of stories I heat that are bad about him, but they are so one sided and just from people jaded or jelpus guys

From other prospects, I've had a brief chat, they said hes kind of reserved so sometimes comes off as a dick, but that hardest worker you'll find and everyone likes him

From the trainer (second hand info) hall was pretty pissed off on Edmonton due to lack of winning. It really weighted on him as he wants to win so bad. He was in a bad mood a lot but still so focused. Said he wouldn't be auprised if he asked for a trade (before lotto). Now I think hall is re motivated

I got zero issue with hall. He's a comptetive guy. At the draft he's calling card was leadership, and he hasn't lost it. He's a total pro. And even tho he drinks (every player does) he still is possesedd to win. Him and mcdavid being attached d at the hip will be nothing but good. Mcdabid will learn the pressures of being a highly touted #1 and him and hall will grow a ton of chemistry.

Gretzky and kurri lite stuff

 

[McYoungGuns]

I'll chime in on hall. As a 24 yo and avid bar goer, I've seen hall around a ton, and I so have hockey buddies (drafted oilers from e town) as well as know some personal inside the room (trainer):

Hall at the bar is kind of like your prototypical star in a sports mad city. Wherever he goes, everyone follows and watches. There was one time I remember he was standing with a friend having a casual and I was talking to this girl who worked thete doing beer tubs and shot trays, and she was commenting on how she just wanted to give hall a drink so bad. Well she ran up and fan girled and interupted a convo and gave him a shot. You could tell he didn't want to drink and annoyed because he was having a chill night. He gave the shot to his buddy and kind of briefly talked to her and thanked her. Anyway later that night I saw her and she was still so mad he brushed her off and didn't drink with her and was telling everyone. But uta funny because he was being a normal guy and got ripped for not drinking with every fan. And he doesn't need a free shot, he makes 6m. These are the type of stories I heat that are bad about him, but they are so one sided and just from people jaded or jelpus guys

From other prospects, I've had a brief chat, they said hes kind of reserved so sometimes comes off as a dick, but that hardest worker you'll find and everyone likes him

From the trainer (second hand info) hall was pretty pissed off on Edmonton due to lack of winning. It really weighted on him as he wants to win so bad. He was in a bad mood a lot but still so focused. Said he wouldn't be auprised if he asked for a trade (before lotto). Now I think hall is re motivated

I got zero issue with hall. He's a comptetive guy. At the draft he's calling card was leadership, and he hasn't lost it. He's a total pro. And even tho he drinks (every player does) he still is possesedd to win. Him and mcdavid being attached d at the hip will be nothing but good. Mcdabid will learn the pressures of being a highly touted #1 and him and hall will grow a ton of chemistry.

Gretzky and kurri lite stuff

ok and now for what BBO took out of that ... OMG HALL IS SUCH AN ASS, HOW DARE HE NOT TAKE THE DRINK FROM THAT GIRL

Im sorry but when all you do is **** talk one player, everything you say is and should be ignored about said player. Im not trying to be a jerk about this but seriously all BBO does is **** talk Hall

 

[Da McBomb]

I went to the bar quite often back in the day too.. I guess that made me a bad person.

Can we just move on here..

 

[NewBoysClub97*]

Oh I loved listening to TEAM 1040 in Vancouver In Vancouver right now and hearing Farhan Lalji just b**** and moan about the Oilers and how we didn't deserve McDavid lol.

 

[Bryanbryoil]

Canadian hockey fans have a nasty habit of ganging up on star players. They love them, but the only thing they love as much is to hate them. If you believe everything you hear ...

In Vancouver, Luongo supposedly had attitude issues, his wife wanted out from Vancouver for years.

In Calgary, Dion Phaneuf apparently was the devil, got into a fist fight with Iginla, slept with the half team's wives, and then after that Iginla himself was a bad locker room influence, wouldn't back check, sabotaged Brent Sutter. Oh and Kiprusoff is apparently a raging coke fiend.

In Winnipeg ... Evander Kane, Dustin Byfuglien are the worst people ever born. In Montreal ... well it gets reeeeeal ugly when they turn on players (see Carey Price raising his arms at fans during a game), Roy-gate, etc. Toronto ... Nuff said.

I hate to say it but a lot of hockey fans in Canada also have that fish bowl/small town mentality. Too many think they could've been in the NHL too with a break here or there and are deep down a little bitter that they're making $11/hour instead of millions.

So it becomes that thing of "look at Taylor Hall over there enjoying his beer, smug ******* with his fancy imported beer, having a drink when he should be resting. Now he's talking to that cute girl and her friends are coming over too! The nerve of this guy, just because you're rich doesn't mean you should throw it my face! I wanted to talk to that girl! Shouldn't you be winning some hockey games?!".

NHL players have thousands upon thousands of interactions with fans in person, it's impossible that all those interactions are going to be positive, but fans think they should be because "if I made $6 million I'd be the perfect angel". No you wouldn't. Everyone has their weird run-ins with people that for whatever reason go awkwardly or badly even, it's just that if you're an NHL player, get ready for that "fan" to go running to the internet and make up a larger than life story about how you have an attitude problem.

Isn't it convenient too that none of these "outrageous" stories are ever about 4th line boring players. Weird coincidence that it's always about the team's 1/2/3 best players. It's never "Zack Stortini has an attitude problem".

Good post.

The more these guys bond, the more they'll want to fight for one another. The Oiler teams of recent past have been divided, and Hall and McDavid will play a big part in uniting this team to resemble a roster that plays a cohesive game. Nothing but good things will come out of them living together for 97's first season or two. This is getting a pretty overblown here.

Great post soundwave.

That is the hope. Until we get that mentality this team isn't going anywhere.

Just read Gregors article . I didn't know Gadzic lived with Hall as well. Apparently he is a great cook lol

Well that settles it! Hall wooed McDavid with his culinary skills! I guess he's come a long way from Kraft dinner!

ok and now for what BBO took out of that ... OMG HALL IS SUCH AN ASS, HOW DARE HE NOT TAKE THE DRINK FROM THAT GIRL

Im sorry but when all you do is **** talk one player, everything you say is and should be ignored about said player. Im not trying to be a jerk about this but seriously all BBO does is **** talk Hall

Not even close, in that instance he did absolutely nothing wrong.

 

[booyakasha]

Good post.



That is the hope. Until we get that mentality this team isn't going anywhere.



Well that settles it! Hall wooed McDavid with his culinary skills! I guess he's come a long way from Kraft dinner!



Not even close, in that instance he did absolutely nothing wrong.

It's actually Gazdic that impressed Hall with his cooking.

 

[Bryanbryoil]

It's actually Gazdic that impressed Hall with his cooking.

Thanks, I didn't read the article. Gazdic rooming with Hall and McDavid would be a good thing IMO. Cooking ability aside he gives off a big brother kind of vibe and would look after them on and off the ice.

 

[booyakasha]

Thanks, I didn't read the article. Gazdic rooming with Hall and McDavid would be a good thing IMO. Cooking ability aside he gives off a big brother kind of vibe and would look after them on and off the ice.

I really hope he improved on his Hockey skills at the Bio camp with Hall, and McDavid, so he is more than just a goon on the team and can play 10 + mins. if needed.

 

[guymez]

Are you one of those people who think Hall is an immature punk or something and that all his million bad habits will rub off on him? It'll be fine. Hall has def matured alot. They clearly get along really well. If it doesn't work, he'll find somewhere else to crash. Believe you me, The Oilers brass will be keeping a close eye on this. Also, I did read this, but I don't know how official it is yet. I'm just assuming it'll be fine if it is indeed true. Mr. Positive, that's me.

I am one of those people who think that maturity increases with age.
I dont care who the person is...a 23 year old generally makes more poor decisions than a 30 year old.

I understand that the Hall defenders will be out in full force justifying this decision...people who dont know the player or his personality but will act like they do.

The reality for me is that Conners situation is too important to be left up to the decision making of a 23 year old player who wasnt mentored effectively when he was a very young player.

Not a knock on Hall at all...just a recognition of the situation for what it is.

 

[guymez]

Knowing who a person is, what their connect to the situation is and whether or not they prove to be right or wrong more often than not among other things.



I have let a lot of things stand to basically let people prove or disprove their legitimacy, this has afforded me some solid relationships with people that most wouldn't get the chance to. This maybe hard to believe for some but prior to me becoming a mod I got to know a best friend of a player and a relative of another. However you will not see me completely vet for someone unless they are 100% legit or at the very least have known ties to legitimate sources.



Fair points all the way across. I have never met the man and I am only going off of 2nd and 3rd hand reports. I do believe that people can change (to a degree) and I hope for his and our sake that he does. FWIW I would take him on my team over Seguin all day based on off ice stuff alone.

Sounds tenuous at best to me Bryan.

 

[NewBoysClub97*]

Just seen the Connor McDavid Adidas commercial during the Jays game. Pretty neat.

 

[Aceboogie]

I think the whole situation is vastly overblown. They will be living together during the season. The amount of time they will spend at the house is pretty nominal. They will be on the road or at the rink and often play weekend games at home (which is the only times theyd go out). Hall is perfect to live with him because he can actually mentor him and knows the struggles. What does Ference know in terms of Mcdavid struggles as a #1 pick?

People are acting like a grey beard mentor will be the Yoda to the young guns sky walker. But it often doesnt work this way. For instance, Seguin couldnt be controlled in Boston with the best vets in the game. And Mackinnon seems alright living with Landeskog (I believe)

Its not like Hall has partying issues, but if Mcdavid has the mindset to not go out, he wont go out.

 

[Johnny McBravo]

It's really sad that this topic is generating so much discussion.

 

[CupofOil]

I am one of those people who think that maturity increases with age.
I dont care who the person is...a 23 year old generally makes more poor decisions than a 30 year old.

I understand that the Hall defenders will be out in full force justifying this decision...people who dont know the player or his personality but will act like they do.

The reality for me is that Conners situation is too important to be left up to the decision making of a 23 year old player who wasnt mentored effectively when he was a very young player.

Not a knock on Hall at all...just a recognition of the situation for what it is.

Doesn't that also apply to his detractors as well?
Most of this information that people are getting about Hall's off ice character are getting that secondhand from somebody who knows somebody who knows somebody. I respect BBO as a poster and don't question his sources but Bryan is making a judgment of Hall (done a total 180) based on what somebody told him, not from his personal experience with Hall. Seems kind of disingenuous IMO.

I don't know if he's captain material as his on ice demeanor and overall game can use some maturing but I certainly have no problem with McDavid rooming with Hall. It's not like he's a criminal so I doubt any influence he would have on McDavid will be destructive. In fact, Hall can offer him the valuable experience of knowing how to deal with being a hyped #1 pick in a pressure cooker fishbowl.

In any event, we are entering into a very exciting era, something of which I and I'm sure most here haven't come close to experiencing as an Oiler fan (missed out on the dynasty years) so maybe we should focus on the excitement of the upcoming season (it's been a long enough wait) instead of talking about what a bad influence Hall might be on McDavid.
Penticton is only 4 days away. It's finally here. Time to channel The Power of Positivity.

 

[GMofOilers]

LoweTide sums it up nicely :

http://lowetide.ca/2015/09/06/whos-going-to-stock-the-fridge/comment-page-1/#comment-441943

One suspects their agents and respective families are on board and after that it’s NO ONE’S BUSINESS. Full stop.

Actually that one quote from LT should be end of discussion from both sides. Serious no one on this board knows either Hall or McDavid personally or their family's. Both family's brought up great young men to date. Why doubt them now?