McDavid seems to be on another planet...

[matter2003]

Now I see why Murray was so high on this kid...don't get me wrong, Eichel is going to be a great player and in some ways already is, but what McDavid is doing is pretty ridiculous.  

 

Now part of me thinks that Bylsma's system is holding the offensive players back, forcing them to be defensively responsible before offensively risky.  I don't like it, but I understand it.  With so many young players, they have to learn properly that you cannot trade scoring chances for an entire game with teams(kinda like Edmonton does), or you end up losing games 6-4 and 7-4, 6-3, etc...you aren't going to win in the NHL like that.  So he is drilling it into their heads to be defensively responsible while throttling a lot of their offensiveness I think.  Don't like it, but at this point it's a necessary evil.  

 

Edmonton just seems like they don't really care and will just try and out chance you...which is why they probably are at the bottom of the standing even with 1st overall picks all over their roster.  But McDavid is just crazy...the man has 38 points, 10 fewer than Eichel in 36 fewer games. McDavid is averaging more than a point a game and if he had remained healthy for the year might be threatening the scoring lead, and would likely be blowing away rookies in scoring.  

 

The metrics in this article make it even more impressive....

 

http://thehockeywriters.com/connor-mcdavid-just-give-him-the-calder-already/

 

 

I love Eichel but can't help to think how good McDavid is going to be...

Edited March 18, 2016 by matter2003

[Mustache of God]

I like Eichel but I wish we could have gotten McDavid.

[inkman]

I don't live my life in coulda, shoulda, woulda land. I'm thrilled with where we are and who we have. McDavid would have been nice but you never know how things play out.

Edited March 18, 2016 by inkman

[Wyldnwoody44]

Let's see how those clavicles hold up next season before final judgement ;)

[Sabel79]

The only person more disappointed than I was when Edmonton won the lottery was, judging by his reaction, Connor McDavid himself. Maybe GMTM. And everyone else outside of Edmonton.

 

Clavicle strength aside, he was the prize the tank trudged forward in search of. Eichel was/is a sensible insurance policy, one we almost failed to cash in on but for Mike Weber's bizzaro-stellar performance in that game vs Arizona. Happy to have Jack, he'll be outstanding thus making the tank worth it; onwards and upwards we go.

[Claude_Verret]

He is on another level, and although I was guilty of dreaming about having him I also recognized the brutal truth of the 1 in 5 shot we had at him. He's generational, Jack might "only" be super elite...and that's OK. I'm just glad McDavid ended up out west if we didn't get him.

[musichunch]

What bugs me most is that the worst team should always have the 1st overall pick. We weren't just unlucky with missing out on McDavid, I'd say we were screwed out of it. 

 

How can you trust a corporation to NOT mess around with the draft lottery winner? Do you trust them to have integrity when they have the ability to decide where the best player in 10-25 years is going to be playing?

 

Edit: Looking at the graph, McDavid's numbers are very Messi-like. 

Edited March 18, 2016 by musichunch

[That Aud Smell]

To the title thread, I'd been more thinking he's from another planet. He is just unreal.

[RonHextallsShoulderPads]

yeah you can love mcdavid all you want, but in the end i'll take a durable Eichel or another oft-injured Crosby type. 

[Mustache of God]

What bugs me most is that the worst team should always have the 1st overall pick. We weren't just unlucky with missing out on McDavid, I'd say we were screwed out of it. 

 

How can you trust a corporation to NOT mess around with the draft lottery winner? Do you trust them to have integrity when they have the ability to decide where the best player in 10-25 years is going to be playing?

 

Edit: Looking at the graph, McDavid's numbers are very Messi-like. 

 

McDavid to Edmonton was the NHL's worst nightmare and is proof there is no rigging of the lottery.

[Beer]

When Edmonton still sucks in 2 years, does McDavid demand out when his entry level contract expires?  I sure as hell would if the team isn't going anywhere.

[Huckleberry]

I'm not going there, I love Eichel, for me he brings what this team needs, a big fast skater with great hockey IQ.

Mcdavid all though on another level then everyone else isn't a good fit with Edmonton.   

[MattPie]

McDavid to Edmonton was the NHL's worst nightmare and is proof there is no rigging of the lottery.

 

Exagerly. If the NHL was going to mess with the draft, they weren't going to put him in Edmonton. They'd screw Buffalo by putting him in FLA, ARZ, or a big city.

[musichunch]

McDavid to Edmonton was the NHL's worst nightmare and is proof there is no rigging of the lottery.

 

I strongly disagree. Edmonton needed it, and they love the "recreate the dynasty" story as you saw when they gave Crosby to Pittsburgh. 

 

Give it a few years. We'll be meeting them in the Finals....and losing. 

[That Aud Smell]

I strongly disagree. Edmonton needed it, and they love the "recreate the dynasty" story as you saw when they gave Crosby to Pittsburgh. 

 

Give it a few years. We'll be meeting them in the Finals....and losing. 

 

Yeesh. I dunno, man.

 

If Bettman's hand were in the lottery, McDavid would've gone to one of Bettman's expansion darlings (especially one in a non-traditional market -- Arizona was right there at the top!) or to a major market team (Toronto, Philly come to mind).

 

Sending him to a small market western outpost like Edmonton -- for the sake of a story line -- doesn't pass mu$ter.

[thewookie1]

I strongly disagree. Edmonton needed it, and they love the "recreate the dynasty" story as you saw when they gave Crosby to Pittsburgh. 

 

Give it a few years. We'll be meeting them in the Finals....and losing. 

 

I honestly doubt that, they may blow up their team again according to TSN with only McDavid and Drasital not on the list. 

 

 

When Edmonton still sucks in 2 years, does McDavid demand out when his entry level contract expires?  I sure as hell would if the team isn't going anywhere.

 

Maybe? Taylor Hall seems fed up, and I could see McDavid being angry if he continues his 1+ ppg with a team that can't make the playoffs. I could see him signing an offer sheet at least. 

 

 

I'm not going there, I love Eichel, for me he brings what this team needs, a big fast skater with great hockey IQ.

Mcdavid all though on another level then everyone else isn't a good fit with Edmonton.   

 

If McDavid = Crosby, then I'd worry for his ability to win Cups. Pittsburgh's downfall has been their incompetence in filling out their roster and expecting Crosby to carry that team. Edmonton has shown no difference in terms of just throwing trash around their stars and expecting it to work. Buffalo has brought in players around Eichel to insulate his early years and support him afterwards, Edmonton doesn't have a ROR and their closest thing to Kane is Kassian. Not to mention they have drafted the same player every year with varying skill aside from Nurse and Draisital. McDavid > Hall > RNH > Eberle > Yakopov, and not one of them plays any differently in style. McDavid's a wonder child and Hall is elite, RNH is a mixed bag due to injury history but does play D some and the other two don't know what backchecking is.  

[WildCard]

At the end of the day, we got Jack, and Arizona got . I'm happy

[musichunch]

Yeesh. I dunno, man.

 

If Bettman's hand were in the lottery, McDavid would've gone to one of Bettman's expansion darlings (especially one in a non-traditional market -- Arizona was right there at the top!) or to a major market team (Toronto, Philly come to mind).

 

Sending him to a small market western outpost like Edmonton -- for the sake of a story line -- doesn't pass mu$ter.

 

Edmonton is a struggling Canadian team with a strong history. The NHL has already had success with the Crosby/Lemieux narrative. Arizona/Vegas could bust. Edmonton has a high number of top draft picks. It makes sense to me. Toronto is going to sell out with or without McDavid. 

 

What's the narrative if McDavid comes to Buffalo? Nobody cares about the "classy Pegulas" outside Buffalo. Sports is all about narrative, it's what brings the casual fans. "McDavid playing in Gretzky's shadow" is a sexy narrative. We'll be hearing it more and more over the next few seasons. 

 

I just can't imagine the NHL executives picking a ball out of a machine and saying "Well, nothing we can do. We need to be fair about this." It's not illegal to rig a draft lottery. What does the NHL gain with letting the lottery be truly random? Why not just lie to fans that it's real and pick a team that's not too obvious yet makes financial sense? You don't think that conversation has ever happened?

 

Edit: Also, the NHL has experience with having a superstar in Edmonton. They know that it can work. The plan might be similar to Gretzky's or Lebron James's path. Have the superstar save the franchise, then leave to a big market team on their next contract. This way McDavid can go to NY or Toronto without making everybody suspicious. 

Edited March 18, 2016 by musichunch

[Thorner]

This constant barrage of McDavid-ness is ruining McDonald's for me. 

[bob_sauve28]

If he was on Pluto you couldn't say he was on another planet 

[Randall Flagg]

The NHL will always have its Canadian fans. There are no new fans to be gained in Edmonton by the addition of McDavid, they're all already fans. That wouldn't be true for many American markets, and to think having McDavid on a team that is awful and plays in the 10pm-1am window for east coast viewers somehow is what the league wanted to rig the lottery to over all possible options is a huge stretch IMO.

[pi2000]

At the end of the day, we got Jack, and Arizona got ######. I'm happy

 

this

 

Just think if Buffalo won the home game vs ARI late in the season (the game ARI won in OT and everybody cheered), Eichel would be out in the desert.  

 

Then we'd be talking about how we missed out on both ALL SEASON LONG as we finish in 30th a 3rd consecutive season.     

Edited March 18, 2016 by pi2000

[nfreeman]

What bugs me most is that the worst team should always have the 1st overall pick. We weren't just unlucky with missing out on McDavid, I'd say we were screwed out of it. 

 

How can you trust a corporation to NOT mess around with the draft lottery winner? Do you trust them to have integrity when they have the ability to decide where the best player in 10-25 years is going to be playing?

 

Edit: Looking at the graph, McDavid's numbers are very Messi-like. 

 

 

Edmonton is a struggling Canadian team with a strong history. The NHL has already had success with the Crosby/Lemieux narrative. Arizona/Vegas could bust. Edmonton has a high number of top draft picks. It makes sense to me. Toronto is going to sell out with or without McDavid. 

 

What's the narrative if McDavid comes to Buffalo? Nobody cares about the "classy Pegulas" outside Buffalo. Sports is all about narrative, it's what brings the casual fans. "McDavid playing in Gretzky's shadow" is a sexy narrative. We'll be hearing it more and more over the next few seasons. 

 

I just can't imagine the NHL executives picking a ball out of a machine and saying "Well, nothing we can do. We need to be fair about this." It's not illegal to rig a draft lottery. What does the NHL gain with letting the lottery be truly random? Why not just lie to fans that it's real and pick a team that's not too obvious yet makes financial sense? You don't think that conversation has ever happened?

 

Edit: Also, the NHL has experience with having a superstar in Edmonton. They know that it can work. The plan might be similar to Gretzky's or Lebron James's path. Have the superstar save the franchise, then leave to a big market team on their next contract. This way McDavid can go to NY or Toronto without making everybody suspicious. 

 

So an evil corporation rigged the lottery and gave the best player in 40 years to...Edmonton?  A small-market Canadian team that sells out every game no matter how bad they are?

 

I wonder if it's the same evil corporation that controls this message board and stifles all criticism of the Pegulas?

 

You have a rare talent for concocting conspiracy theories.

 

It's all connected, I tell ya.

[SwampD]

So an evil corporation rigged the lottery and gave the best player in 40 years to...Edmonton?  A small-market Canadian team that sells out every game no matter how bad they are?

 

I wonder if it's the same evil corporation that controls this message board and stifles all criticism of the Pegulas?

 

You have a rare talent for concocting conspiracy theories.

 

It's all connected, I tell ya.

Surprise, surprise. Look who comes to the defense of the big corpor,... um...

 

...wait, um, yeah, that's some kuckoo bird chit right there musichunch.

[DR HOLLIDAY]

McDavid to Edmonton was the NHL's worst nightmare and is proof there is no rigging of the lottery.

 

I agree with this, the last place the crap NHL wanted McDavid to go to was Edmonton.........We saw the disappointment in McDavids face, I would have love to have seen Bettman kicking cats around in his office.