The future is on fast forward
McDavid and Matthews ahead of the game — and even stars get star-struck sometimes
LOS ANGELES— Through it all — the accolades from Wayne Gretzky, the media attention, the friendly competition from his NHL rivals — Auston Matthews really only has one job this weekend.
“I have to bring everybody back hats,” Matthews said before Saturday night’s skills competition, relaying his marching orders from Maple Leafs forward Leo Komarov, the team’s representative at the all-star game last year. “I’ve got to bring them back or I’ll never hear the end of it from Leo. He probably told me 10 times. This whole week he’s been on me about it.”
Whatever responsibilities are bestowed on Matthews — the hats, playing hockey, leading an Original Six franchise — it’s reasonably certain he will do them well.
“It’s gotten off to a pretty good start,” Matthews said of his career. “I don’t think you can ever get complacent. For me I want to continue to get better and do more.”
Matthews isn’t the only young player enjoying the all-star festivities and turning heads in the NHL. He’s joined by several teammates from the North American entry in the World Cup — Connor McDavid, Johnny Gaudreau, Nathan MacKinnon and Seth Jones.
“All those guys are unbelievable players,” said Matthews. “We’re all young. We’ve gotten off to pretty good starts to our career so far. It’s pretty exciting to be here with them. We’re all going through our first all-star game. Hopefully it’s not the last one.”
Throw in Patrik Laine — drafted No. 2 behind Matthews and still just 18 — and this weekend has the feel of a mantle being passed.
The announcement of the league’s top 100 players of all time on Friday night left many of today’s best starstruck. Jonathan Toews tracked down Steve Yzerman. P.K. Subban sought out Grant Fuhr. Sidney Crosby and Darryl Sittler finally met.
“It was an unbelievable collection of players,” said John Tavares, who had never met Brett Hull until now, “the best players that ever played.”
Perhaps more significant, Gretzky and Mario Lemieux called Sidney Crosby the greatest in the game today, with McDavid lying in wait.
“You dream of playing in the NHL, you want to be at your best, and to get a compliment like that from two players you grew up idolizing is pretty special,” Crosby said.
Gretzky went further, saying McDavid has the best chance of supplanting Crosby.
“Just to be mentioned in the same sentence as a guy like Crosby, and it coming from Wayne Gretzky, it definitely means a lot,” said McDavid. “But it’s pretty clear Crosby is the best player in the world, and he’s here to stay for a long time.”
Crosby — leading the league with 28 goals — has no plans to hand over his title any time soon, but is impressed by the group coming up.
“It’s great to see young guys coming in with the expectations they have, and playing the way they are,” Crosby said. “I can relate to being in that situation. You really want to see them have success.”
Today’s veteran all-stars sound particularly impressed with McDavid and Matthews.
“Connor is leading the league in scoring, and what Auston has been able to do in his first year in Toronto is remarkable — not just his scoring, but his overall impact on the game,” said Tavares. “They are players who can control the game. They’re obviously elite talents to do what they’re doing in their first years in the league. It’s good motivation for guys like me, to keep pushing to get better, knowing the next wave is coming.”
Toews said the next century’s top 100 will include some of the youngsters here: “McDavid, MacKinnon. Crazy young talent that is definitely going to change the game. Patrik Laine turns 19 in April, so to see what he and Auston Matthews are accomplishing as teenagers, it’s insane.
“Everyone talks about the game getting better and better every year. I even feel that. This is my 10th season in the league, and these guys are stepping in and producing right away. Goodness knows what they’ll do in 10 years. Those guys are going to change the game. They’re going to make it better down the road.”
McDavid sounds very much like the next face of the NHL.
“What does it mean for the game going forward? It means the game is in good shape coming into the young guys’ hands,” he said.