C Connor McDavid - Erie Otters, OHL (2015 Draft) II

[SaxMan]

Not sure if a thread has already been created, and I know that its two years away but what do you guys think of even odds for all teams in the McDavid sweepstakes? The more I watch this kid the more he seems like he's the next Crosby even though Sid's only 25. Kid put up 66 points in 63 games as a 15 year old and will surely break the 100+ point barrier next season barring any drastic injuries as a 16 year old.

My question is, and I know it was a different circumstance back then because it was a lockout that enabled each team to have an equal shot at 1st overall and it just so happened to be Crosby's draft year but nonetheless, do you believe that no matter who finishes last, every team should get equal opportunity for the right to draft McDavid? Each team gets the same number of lottery balls no matter who finishes last because I think there may be some serious tanking efforts by a few teams that season to get this kid, they see what Crosby has done and they likely wouldn't mind having a kid dubbed the next Crosby

It may be controversial but I think that this should be the case, a talent like this should be granted exceptional status and every team should have the same chance of grabbing him. So whadaya say? Equal chances no matter who finishes last? Or keep it how it is?

Tavares was better at the same age. He's not the next Crosby.

 

[waitin425]

Not that it would ever happen.....but I'm wondering if this kid could pull off exceptional status in the NHL. Obviously he would need to hit a growth spurt

 

[3 Minute Minor]

Not that it would ever happen.....but I'm wondering if this kid could pull off exceptional status in the NHL. Obviously he would need to hit a growth spurt

Definitely not. They wouldn't do it for Tavares due to his birthday being a few days off the cut off, imo he deserved that. 4 years of OHL hockey didn't help his development imo

 

[Tripod]

Not that it would ever happen.....but I'm wondering if this kid could pull off exceptional status in the NHL. Obviously he would need to hit a growth spurt

TSN just talked about it and they said no...it would never happen. Unless something crazy happened and Pittsburgh won the draft lottery.(yes...sarcasm)

 

[jfb392]

Not that it would ever happen.....but I'm wondering if this kid could pull off exceptional status in the NHL. Obviously he would need to hit a growth spurt

There would be legal issues there, though.
There's a reason why the draft cutoff is when it is (9/15, so that every prospect is 18 when camps start).

He's already grown since I first saw him last year and I wouldn't be shocked if he ends up continuing to grow.
He's probably 6' right now, even though he's listed at 5'11''.

 

[3 Minute Minor]

There would be legal issues there, though.
There's a reason why the draft cutoff is when it is (9/15, so that every prospect is 18 when camps start).

He's already grown since I first saw him last year and I wouldn't be shocked if he ends up continuing to grow.
He's probably 6' right now, even though he's listed at 5'11''.

Yep, saw a picture of him with Lemieux and Crosby and he looks just slightly taller then Crosby actually (Like half an inch):

 

[HockeySauce]

Tavares was better at the same age. He's not the next Crosby.

Based on what?

 

[Aaaaaaaaaaaaa]

FWIW....Bob MacKenzie just said on TSN that if McDavid was available this year...he would go #1...even at age 16!!

He stated that several of the scouts in Sochi have been talking about that. While I hate that kind of pressure being put on a kid his age, I think there is something special here with this kid that makes me believe he will handle it.

It seems to me that the biggest difference nowadays with these "Next Ones" is that they are grounded. It must be that they are from good families, because there was a time where the Alexandre Daigles of the hockey world would attain that label and just lose their focus and start reading their own press too much. I think you also have to give credit to the agents.

Either way, it is awesome to watch. An exciting time for hockey....again.

 

[Mathew Barzal]

There is going to be some major tanking for this kid. I hope he's worth the hype and I hope he's in the Western Conference. We're kind of lacking the stars on this side.

 

[3 Minute Minor]

There is going to be some major tanking for this kid. I hope he's worth the hype and I hope he's in the Western Conference. We're kind of lacking the stars on this side.

I'd kinda like to see him as a Calgary Flame. Definitely something they'll need and they look like they wanna go with a Pittsburgh/Edmonton style rebuild

 

[jigglysquishy]

I'd kinda like to see him as a Calgary Flame. Definitely something they'll need and they look like they wanna go with a Pittsburgh/Edmonton style rebuild

I just hope he stays in Canada. We haven't had a "superstar" in the likes of Crosby, Lindros, Tavares, McDavid since Roy left.

 

[Carlzner]

Yep, saw a picture of him with Lemieux and Crosby and he looks just slightly taller then Crosby actually (Like half an inch):

Geez, they're already grooming him.

 

[3 Minute Minor]

Geez, they're already grooming him.

In fairness Pittsburgh is closer to Erie than Toronto (or any other surrounding NHL city)

 

[jfb392]

Bob McKenzie also mentioned tonight that while he may end up going to the U20's during the winter, he'll probably be with the U18 team this summer at the Ivan Hlinka.

 

[Bjorn Le]

Yep, saw a picture of him with Lemieux and Crosby and he looks just slightly taller then Crosby actually (Like half an inch):

Crosby's listed at 5'11 but I would wager he's probably closer to 5'10 than 6'0. McDavid definitely isn't 6'0 yet, but he'll definitely get there.

Based on what?

I can't agree with his second statement but there's a few things, the biggest one being McDavid hit the scoring wall half way into his season and couldn't adjust to teams focusing on him (Obviously U-18 teams didn't learn that). He had to the talent to adjust he just didn't. When teams started focusing on Tavares he adjusted and kept it up. McDavid is an elite athlete and will likely become one of the greatest skaters in a very long time in the NHL (He's got skating that would be elite at the NHL level already) while Tavares at 15 (Though quite a bit younger than McDavid's 15) was a below-average skater for the OHL. But Tavares couldn't be shut down, untill teams were putting 2-3 players on him later in his junior career.

McDavid's probably a better prospect because his skating is so great, in addition to him being elite at just about everything else but Tavares was the better player at 15, for sure. Hell, Tavares was probably better than Crosby as a 15 year old.

 

[kongt]

wondering how Tyler Benson would compare to him.

 

[Alberta tough]

wondering how Tyler Benson would compare to him.

I have seen Benson play live over the last 2 years and he is not even close at this stage. He is a Hell of a prospect on his own thou.

 

[Asinine]

It's been awhile since we were hearing about the potential #1 overall pick 3 years before the draft. I think he's the real deal but I doubt he'll be on Crosby's level.
More like a Stamkos/Tavares maybe even a little better.

 

[leafsfuture]

I think people are getting a little too caught up in point totals. Keep in mind, that OHL scoring has been down the last 3 - 4 years.

Tavares didnt win the OHL scoring title until his final junior season, which he won with 104 points. Since then, the total for the OHL leading scorer has been: 106, 108, 102 and 108.

No one in the OHL has hit 110 points even since JT's 17 year old season, when he, Maclean and Azevedo hit that range. Compare it to JT's first two OHL seasons when the OHL leading scorer had 145 points (Schremp and Kane)

All I am saying is that I would be surprised if we see a guy hit 130 in the O for years, maybe it would take an NHL lockout, or another exceptional player with a late birthday. So while I think its fair to ask 100 points of McDavid (100 points if he doesnt make the WJC), anything more is way too much

 

[OttawaRoughRiderFan*]

Greatness, if it ever comes, is years away. Anyway, he was something special today. Nice to see another Canadian kid playing so well.

 

[HabLover]

wondering how Tyler Benson would compare to him.

Barzal is closer to McDavid than Benson. They were both outstanding at the AllState game last year.

 

[JackHughes86]

damn i can't wait to see mcdavid at the world juniors

 

[Ace88*]

Size will never be an issue for a player like McDavid. The way he so easily dismantles his opponents is nothing short of amazing. I hate bringing it up because the play styles are different but i havent seen precision dominance from a player since...you guessed it, Crosby. Tavares was just a pure machine in juniors, but McDavid so far is like a fine instrument carving apart entire lines at a time.

 

[TheTechNoir]

Tavares as a 15 years old: 77 pts in 65 games
McDavid as a 15 years old: 66 pts in 63 games

Tavares was slightly better at that age.

Oh yeah I forgot, on HF selective stats are all that matters.

 

[TMLife*]

Look at the teams Tavares played for compared to Erie. Stats aren't everything. Kid is 15 years old. He could bust completely before he gets drafted or he could put up a 150 pt season as a 16 year old. No one knows.