Is McDavid as popular as Crosby was at the same age?

[Ms Maggie]

Crosby was also a major brat on the ice and still is to a lesser extent. Matthews just goes about his business.

What year is it where you live?

 

[ManofSteel55]

You miss my point. Crosby inspires love and hate. McD, not so much.

If that was your point, I don't think McD inspires indifference at all.

 

[dr robbie]

As an Oilers fan, I could truly care less about McDavid’s popularity, but I continue to be disappointed in the NHL’s ability to market the game more effectively.

This is what gets me. Here you have this young, fast, dynamic player just coming into his prime and what does the NHL promote? Ovi vs. Sid part 13. Crosby at the same age was being shoved down our throats, which is one of the reasons he was/is more popular. I just don't get why they don't try marketing the next wave of players rather than holding onto the past ones.

 

[Ms Maggie]

If that was your point, I don't think McD inspires indifference at all.

Not his fault, he's young, awkward. Deer in the headlights. He'll improve over time.

 

[ManofSteel55]

Not his fault, he's young, awkward. Deer in the headlights. He'll improve over time.

I think your assessment is incorrect and false. He might be a little quiet, but he doesn't come across as awkward.

 

[Luigi Lemieux]

In addition to the marketing and what not, the first few years of Crosby's career were pretty much storybook. A lot of dramatic storylines for people to latch onto.

05-06 - worst team in the league, scores 102 points.
06-07 - most improved team in league history, pens jump from 58 to 105 points. Crosby youngest art ross winner in history. lose to sens in first round.
07-08 - sweep sens in first round to avenge previous year's loss. pens lose to red wings in cup finals, Crosby tied for playoff lead in scoring.
08-09 - pens win cup avenging loss to Detroit (and Marian Hossa who jumped ship), Crosby youngest captain to win cup in history.

 

[Ms Maggie]

I think your assessment is incorrect and false. He might be a little quiet, but he doesn't come across as awkward.

Sure he does. Again, natural. Regular kid suddenly thrust into the limelight. Kinda endearing.

15 AWKWARD Pictures Connor McDavid Doesn’t Want You To See

 

[Tweed]

PK is a locker room cancer. PK is selfish. PK is egotistical. PK is a Prima Donna. PK doesn't care about the team. PK's pledge to the hospital is nothing than a ploy, PK doesn't care about kids. PK sucks and never should have won the Norris.

What am I forgetting?

(and LOL @ Bergevin did a pretty good job)

You're forgetting that I didn't say four-fifths of what you're saying I said... and that I also pointed the finger at Bergevin.

 

[TheAngryHank]

The difference I think there, is that people dislike Matthews because he is a Leaf. People dislike the Penguins because they have Crosby. Nobody disliked the Penguins (aside from rival fans teams of course) before Crosby showed up. Sid is a polarizing figure, primarily because I think people have developed a dislike for him over his exposure by the media.

Not true , ive disliked the Penguins long before crosby. Mostly because of the other pair of clown shoes ,snot nose Mario. Plus tanking /relocation, joke franchise.

 

[Future GOAT]

He seemed to have a lot of hype from scouts. There was an interesting article about him here: Is Connor McDavid better than Sidney Crosby?

 

[Future GOAT]

He seemed to have a lot of hype from scouts. There was an interesting article about him here: Is Connor McDavid better than Sidney Crosby?

Here are a couple excerpts from that article:
"No matter where he plays, the 17-year-old McDavid attracts attention. He’s being touted as “The Next One” and is the front-runner to go first overall in the 2015 NHL draft as a once-in-a-generation talent."

"McDavid “already has NHL abilities,” according to McKee. But with several months to sharpen his game before the top league in the world comes calling, he’s just getting started.
McDavid doesn’t remember the first time someone compared him to Crosby. Eleven months after Sportsnet Magazine’s cover showed him with the headline, “Better than Crosby,” the 17-year-old still thinks it was “pretty insane.”
“It’s obviously a tremendous honour to be named in the same breath with someone like that,” McDavid said. “But by no means do I think I’m deserving.”
Scouts disagree. In revealing the International Scouting Service pre-season rankings, director Dennis MacInnins said: “Having the chance to scout Sidney Crosby at the same age, McDavid is even more impressive, true superstar potential.”

 

[Sky04]

Crosby had Ovechkin to hype him up as well, that "rivalry" was heavily marketed. McDavid has no one in his class among his peers.

Not to mention playing for Edmonton, McDavids a household name in Canada but I doubt he's as well known in the States as Crosby was.

 

[McFlash97]

Crosby had Ovechkin to hype him up as well, that "rivalry" was heavily marketed. McDavid has no one in his class among his peers.

Not to mention playing for Edmonton, McDavids a household name in Canada but I doubt he's as well known in the States as Crosby was.

Dont the Oilers have one of the largest fanbases outside of its city limits ? The whole Gretzky, greatest teams of all time huge online blogospheres, etc etc. Once 97 makes some deep runs and is showcased on NBC a few more times as he approaches his prime, the Yanks will know about him real quick.

 

[EdmFlyersfan]

This is what gets me. Here you have this young, fast, dynamic player just coming into his prime and what does the NHL promote? Ovi vs. Sid part 13. Crosby at the same age was being shoved down our throats, which is one of the reasons he was/is more popular. I just don't get why they don't try marketing the next wave of players rather than holding onto the past ones.

The NHL tried that with the Oilers and Sabres...it was a disaster, blame their management for have god awful teams no one outside their markets cares about.

 

[agent082]

Olympics would have helped McDavid.

 

[holy]

Olympics would have helped McDavid.

McDavid tweets: Sighhh, I was born in the wrong generation.

 

[ZeroPucksGiven]

In addition to the marketing and what not, the first few years of Crosby's career were pretty much storybook. A lot of dramatic storylines for people to latch onto.

05-06 - worst team in the league, scores 102 points.
06-07 - most improved team in league history, pens jump from 58 to 105 points. Crosby youngest art ross winner in history. lose to sens in first round.
07-08 - sweep sens in first round to avenge previous year's loss. pens lose to red wings in cup finals, Crosby tied for playoff lead in scoring.
08-09 - pens win cup avenging loss to Detroit (and Marian Hossa who jumped ship), Crosby youngest captain to win cup in history.

Then in 2010 Olympics he scores the Golden Goal....

 

[Sky04]

Dont the Oilers have one of the largest fanbases outside of its city limits ? The whole Gretzky, greatest teams of all time huge online blogospheres, etc etc. Once 97 makes some deep runs and is showcased on NBC a few more times as he approaches his prime, the Yanks will know about him real quick.

What? You do know you're talking about a team that was and still is a joke in this league right? They spent 10 years being mocked in cellar then traded a hart trophy winner. You might be right talking about 30 years ago, unless you're the leafs who probably have the biggest representation outside of their City in Canada. Pre-McDavid you were pretty much mocked every you go sporting an Oiler jersey outside of Edmonton.

Good teams/winning pick up more fans, which is why the Blackhawks are one of the most popular teams in NA.

 

[Tom ServoMST3K]

If you're going to be the typical "Boring hockey player" its best to be in a US or Major market, unless you are the GOAT.

 

[CMDEADLY]

Okay let's break this down. What was the media landscape of entertainment leading up to Crosby's draft. NHL was on strike, they needed to push something. ESPN at the time was a highlight drive business and not a opinion one. So they pushed Crosby to the moon and over. High speed internet was not a normal occursnce either. What media put out there was about all you could watch. Now you have youtube which drives people away from mainstream media so what they promote doesn't resonate the same way.

Lots of factors involved but, yes Crosby was way more hyped.

 

[WingsMJN2965]

Not even close.

FWIW it's not his fault. He's with Edmonton. That's not a rip on them either. They just don't get a lot of marketing attention.

 

[GMofOilers]

I would say about the same up here in Canada. Any young kid in my area knows who McDavid is, and they don’t even know who Crosby is.

 

[txpd]

If that was your point, I don't think McD inspires indifference at all.

I think you are wrong on that. At least where I am concerned. I am a Capitals fan. Native to DC. Living in Carolina Hurricanes country. I cant remember if I have ever watched an Oiler game other than against the Caps and I didn't watch to see McDavid. I don't care about him one way or the other. Call it east coast bias maybe. What ever the reason I am pretty indifferent about the guy

 

[karnige]

mcDavid gets hurt by playing for a team no one really cares about in Canada. Crosby maybe in Pittsburgh, but he is still stateside

pretty much. Americans don't pay attention to Canadian sports teams .see nba and mlb. it is what it is .if mcdavid was on the caps, rangers, Kings. it would be insane. Im just glad he's not on the leafs. the media and some fans think Matthews is the 2nd coming. imagine having the 2nd best player in the world there

 

[El Travo]

I would say about the same up here in Canada. Any young kid in my area knows who McDavid is, and they don’t even know who Crosby is.

Yeah, no.