KICKS AND PICKS
Connor McDavid is set to be the No. 1 pick in the NHL Draft, while Rhian Wilkinson and Canada get ready for Saturday’s knockout game with England at the Women’s World Cup
FORT LAUDERDALE, Fla. — The word ‘saviour’ conjures up images of someone who can walk on water.
Does that mean Connor McDavid is slated to do just that when he arrives on the banks of the beautiful North Saskatchewan River during his inaugural visit to Edmonton as an Oiler to meet the media and the fans there in the coming days? Of course not. When it comes to hockey, labelling someone as a saviour of a franchise is, frankly, a bit over the top.
Sure, there still might be some fine folks in the City of Champions who consider Wayne Gretzky to have been exactly that.
But Connor McDavid is not Gretzky — at least not yet. What he is, is a teenager. Sometimes, the hockey world, blinded by the kid’s ridiculous skill, forgets that.
“It’s unfair to place that on an 18 year old kid,” Florida Panthers defenceman Aaron Ekblad said, referring to the ‘saviour’ label. “But Connor’s a great kid and a great person. No matter if he’s a saviour or not, he’s going to be an unbelievable player. He’s going to be great.”
Ekblad knows of what he speaks, having just won the Calder Trophy as the league’s rookie of the year Wednesday night.
So, what should McDavid expect? The Sun sought out the opinions of four former No. 1 picks — Ekblad (2014, Florida Panthers); John Tavares (2009 New York Islanders), Sidney Crosby (2005, Pittsburgh Penguins), Alex Ovechkin (2004, Washington Capitals).
Here is their advice:
TAVARES: Listen and Learn
“(Being called a saviour) is tough. Thegameissocompetitivenow.You see the contributions from teammates and the depth teams that win Stanley Cups have and the impact it has and the sacrifices everyone makes. I think you’ve seen some great players get drafted by Edmonton and they’ve still had their struggles. He’s going to need support and have the right people around him to help him to grow and mature.
“I was lucky enough to have Doug Weight and great guys like that around me to help me to understand how to deal with many of the things that go with playing in the NHL, especially now that I’m a captain. So, that is a lot on him. He just needs to go and play.
“This is what you’ve been waiting
for your whole life.”
EKBLAD: Be Patient
“We talked a lot and I told him he’s just got to be patient. He’s going to be picked and pried by everyone (including) the media.
“There is no doubt that Connor McDavid is going to be going first overall. It’s pretty obvious by now, at least from my perspective.”
OVECHKIN: Don’t Try To Carry The Entire Team on Your Own
“One guy can’t change a team on his own. The only people that can change a franchise is the whole team. Everybody. He can be better but the guys around him have to help him a lot.
“My first year, I had a great team. They helped me with everything. So I hope for that kind of future star, the experienced leaders and veterans have to help him.
“As for Connor, I’d say just keep going and stay the same way. Work hard and just play your game.”
CROSBY: Have Fun With The Entire Experience
“My advice to him? Just enjoy that whole process.
“At least he didn’t have to meet with 30 different teams like I did. He has an idea where he’s going, so that’s good.
“You only get drafted once, so have fun with all of it so you have fond memories once it’s all over.”