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

[daver]

Stamkos? St. Louis? Subban? Iginla? Sedin? Getzlaf? Staal? Perry? Zetterberg? Datsyuk? Etc. Etc.

There are more examples of players that didn't dominate the way Tavares and Crosby did that end up going on to become elite players than the reverse.

But generational prospects like Wayne, Mario, Lindros, and Crosby were already clear from the pack at age 16/17. If McDavid is a generational prospect, he seems to be the exception to this. Stat-wise, he is not that much farther ahead than most of the recent #1 picks.

A lot has been made about lack of physical maturity. Is this a common narrative among the scouts?

 

[WhiskeyYerTheDevils]

They may be close skill-wise but to be close to Crosby, let alone surpass him, he'll need to match his IQ and compete level.

Yep, totally agree. Though I would breakup IQ into a few key components for comparison, because I do believe his offensive playmaking vision and tendencies mirror each other.

But Sid's IQ away from the puck in the offensive zone is where he currently blows McDavid away. He knows how to find the soft spots and get lost for just long enough to reappear at the backdoor to pot a rebound. Couple this ability with Crosby's generational core strength and hand eye coordination and its no wonder the guy can score 50+ with a stick as flat as a knife.

Defensive IQ at 16 I would probably call a draw atm, slight edge to McDavid.

I'd give Crosby the edge in athleticism due to his strength and flexibility. In terms of technical skills at 16, here's my breakdown. M = McDavid, C = Crosby, +'s indicate degree:

Skating
speed M++
agility M ++
Power C+++
balance C+
mechanics C+
body control C++

Puck manipulation
handling M++
deking M++
quickness M+
reach M+
hand-eye C+++
passing skill C++

Shot
wrist M++
snap C+
slap M++
backhand C++
one timer C+

Actually - as some poster said: McDavid is combination of Giroux and Stamkos - and I will add: multipied with 100.

That was me!!!

He's not a guy who will go into traffic as often as a guy like crosby, and he doesn't have the same boxy build, but the kid kid is still a great goalscorer and gets to the net quite easily. But he's definitely more of a perimeter player at this point in his development, probably due to his stature.

His offensive playing style is a blend of a few guys - sees the ice like a Crosby, puck skills and strength/balance like a Giroux, and skates like a Stamkos. If McDavid can get to 195+ lbs at 6' he's going to become a very difficult player to play against. I project him to be a perennial 30+g 100+ point guy in his prime, with a few seasons exceeding 110 pts.