Can McDavid surpass Crosby’s level by the time he turns 30?
Pens star is at peak of his career while Oilers captain is still gaining experience
PITTSBURGH Getting better with age isn’t only used to describe wine and whiskey, it applies to generational superstars, too.
So it begs the question: If Connor McDavid is this good now, in what stratosphere will he be skating when he has 12 years of experience like Sidney Crosby?
That was one of the questions Tuesday, on the morning of the third-ever meeting between the two best players in the game, as hockey people from around the National Hockey League tried to predict the Edmonton Oilers captain’s trajectory.
The consensus is that with Crosby as great as he’s ever been at 30 years of age, we have barely seen a glimpse of what McDavid has in store for the NHL.
“I look at Sid and I think he’s a young guy,” said Pittsburgh Penguins coach Mike Sullivan. “He’s an extremely fit guy. He takes care of himself, he lives the right way, he does the right things off the ice. He’s in the prime of his career right now.
“An indication of that is the success that this team has enjoyed over the last couple of seasons. We don’t see him slowing down any time soon.”
Oilers coach Todd McLellan sees a lot of the same attributes in a young McDavid that people saw, and still do, in Crosby. That’s good to know if you’re an Edmonton fan.
“He’s still learning things, he still wants to get better,” said McLellan. “And I’m sure he has that same drive. Those two players have the same drive to be the best they can be and lead their teams.
“That Sid is still playing at an extremely high level and leading his team to championships, and Connor is eight or 10 years behind and leading his team as well, it’s nice to see both of them at the top of their game and competing. It’s a real reward for fans of the NHL. You don’t have to be fans of the Penguins or the Oilers to appreciate what those two players do.”
People love to compare Crosby and McDavid, even though they are completely different players at completely different stages in their careers. But for all of their differences, they have the same core qualities.
“Sid is fast, but Connor is on another level with that speed,” said Oilers centre Mark Letestu, who has played with both No. 87 and No. 97. “Sid is able to hang on to pucks and really grind guys down low and escape from corners. And he’s figured out that scoring goals in this league is difficult and you can’t do it one-dimensionally. You look at Sid, how many goals he scores around the net, rebounds, tip-ins, deflections.
“I think if Connor wants to add the goal-scoring totals that he’s talking about, he’s going to have to add those little skills around net that Sid has. Sid is a great role model for him to model his game after.
“They are very different players that way, but they’re very similar in that when they ’re on the ice, the other four guys are better for it. They have that drive to be the best every night. It’s exciting to say I was teammate of both at one point or another.”
Another ring for Jultz: Justin Schultz went from train wreck in Edmonton to two-time Stanley Cup champion in Pittsburgh in two short years. He’s not the first reclamation project the Penguins have turned around, and Sullivan doubts he’ll be the last.
“Sometimes when a player gets in a new environment, it gives him a fresh start and a new lease on life,” said the coach. “It gives him an opportunity to make an impact on a new organization and new group of teammates. Sometimes that in and of itself is helpful for players.
“And I think we have a group of players who help guys who come in. They make players who come in feel comfortable. We have good players who make the surrounding players better. That’s a big help when players come into our team.
“And the guys who’ve come in and joined our team have worked extremely hard at improving their games and helping our team have success.”
Just another game: Does Crosby get up for McDavid the same way everyone else gets up for Crosbyvs.-McDavid?
His coach says it’s hard to tell since Crosby gets up for absolutely everything.
“It would be hard for me to think Sid has any more motivation on any given night,” said Sullivan. “He’s just a driven athlete. I’ve been so impressed in my time here with him in his daily work habits. Each and every game, he tries to be his very best. I’m sure down deep he such a competitive guy and he has such an appetite to be the best player, certainly there are matchups through the course of the year that are going to challenge him. That’s just human nature.”