It’s not just offence that makes sid an nHl superstar

What can Connor McDavid learn from Sidney Crosby?

It’s not how he’s wired with the puck, it’s how he deciphers the game when he doesn’t have it.

“When the other team has the puck, Sid’s thinking is above everybody else in this league,” said Edmonton Oilers coach Ken Hitchcock, an assistant on a run of Canadian Olympic teams featuring Crosby.

“Look at the first three scoring chances the other night against Philadelphia (Monday). He created those chances three different ways and on every one of them the Flyers defencemen had the puck. His anticipation when the opposition has it is so high ... he knows where the puck’s going ahead of time and can pick off passes. He creates so many turnovers.

“And he also knows where people are located on the ice to turn that turnover into scoring chances, like the first two goals Jake Guentzel got in Philadelphia.

“Second part for me was us watching the last part of that Flyer game where they had a six-on-four power play and Sid froze a really good player for 15 seconds along the half wall with his stick and body position to kill that power play. And Sid’s not out there all the time.” Learned skill? Or in their DNA. “I dunno. With the Olympic teams we’d be running a drill and Sid would go somewhere else and as coaches we’d say, ‘What the heck, where’s he going?’ He was practising plays that weren’t connected to the drill but in the games they would pop up,” said Hitchcock.

So things for McDavid to watch.

“Connor sniffs out danger, too, offensively, but Sid also thinks it defensively. He’s got both going and Connor will get to that point as well,” said Hitchcock.

MEETING CROSBY A THRILL FOR MCDAVID

Half a dozen years ago, when McDavid was playing junior in Erie — two hours away from Pittsburgh — he was over the moon just getting his photo taken with Crosby, never mind playing against him.

“I was 15 or 16 and one of other player’s billet had tickets to the game. he knew (Penguins assistant GM) Bill Guerin a bit, so we came down, got into the dressing room and met some guys. Meeting Sid was exciting for me and it’s funny to look back at that picture,” said McDavid, now 21 and 10 years younger than Crosby, but the two best players in the world.

McDavid, playing against Crosby for the sixth time, wishes he was like him around the net. He’s faster, for sure, but Crosby is a demon in tight.

“I see how strong he is down low, playing against him he’s so good on his skates, so stocky,” said McDavid. “He’s tough to knock off the puck, that’s a great quality.”

McDavid doesn’t see himself being able to replicate that skill set.

“You want to incorporate as many good things as you can into your game and while I’m pretty strong on my skates, not to that level. I’ll never be as wide as him,” said McDavid.

If McDavid is frustrated by where the Oilers are in the standings, that’s understandable.

“When we lost in 2008 (finals to Detroit) I thought that was my only shot,” said Crosby. “Being young you put more pressure on yourself in general, regardless of winning or expectations and you have to go through certain things to learn. He’s learning on the fly and that’s normal but he’s done a great job and he’s continued to learn. Just takes time.”