[Article] What's it like to be Connor McDavid?

[kn]

A long article, but as someone who hasn't followed him at all, I found it an interesting read:

http://www.sportsnet.ca/hockey/nhl/b...-superstardom/

[Azhouse]

Is it wrong for me to want him to have the trajectory of say an Alexander Daigle?

[JohnnySkittles]

Yes, the more talent the league has the better.

[jayswin]

Sure, except the fact that there's absolutely nothing to suggest he'll be anything but a star player in the NHL, if not a superstar if he reaches his potential.

I know it's the cool thing to do to hope for failure because Oilers, but anyone's who's watched him in junior knows it's not a matter of if his success will transfer to the NHL but how good he's going to be.

He's a special hockey player, and you'd have to be a huge, huge Flames homer to not see that and be excited to see how he does. I hate the Oilers, but I'm pretty excited to see him play.

[FBI]

Tl dr summary for those that don't want to read the whole thing:
Mcdavid wasn't actually pissed when the oilers won the lottery, that's just his personality. (Nice try)

[FlamesAddiction]

Originally Posted by Azhouse

Is it wrong for me to want him to have the trajectory of say an Alexander Daigle?

I hope he is awesome.

And then leaves as a free agent when he is 25. That would hurt them.

[kobasew19]

The author of the article, Gare Joyce is such a great writer.

[kn]

Originally Posted by kobasew19

The author of the article, Gare Joyce is such a great writer.

"Future Greats and Heartbreaks" examining the world of scouting is a great read from Joyce

[Fire]

I really hope he's a bust, but I doubt it. I also hope he demands to be traded. If not those two scenarios then I hope in 3 years he asks for the max contract he can get under the CBA to put the Oilers in cap hell.

[Azhouse]

Originally Posted by Fire

I really hope he's a bust, but I doubt it. I also hope he demands to be traded. If not those two scenarios then I hope in 3 years he asks for the max contract he can get under the CBA to put the Oilers in cap hell.

It is good to see that I am not the only one. I watched Gretzky whine his way to multiple cups (often at the expense of the Flames) so the sheer fact that he is an Oiler makes me want him and the Coil to always fail no matter what. It has been built into me from the moment the Flames hit Calgary.

The whole "the league needs more talent" mantra rings hollow to me whenever it comes to the Oilers (and the Canucks).

[Daradon]

Originally Posted by Azhouse

Is it wrong for me to want him to have the trajectory of say an Alexander Daigle?

Since being drafted by the Oilers, I would say that's a perfectly natural feeling. Not only for Flames fans, but for 80% of hockey fans in general, as they're fed up with the Oilers getting rewarded for failure too.

I was actually looking forward to seeing him play. Any other team. I even argued this when people talked about him going to Edmonton. Don't spoil his talent, don't reward a bad management group. Any other team. Literally any other. Well, maybe not Vancouver, but even I would admit, that was just me being petty. But Edmonton? I just wanna see him get splattered repeatedly and fail as a hockey player. Which I realize is horrible to say. But damnit, it's how I feel.

I hope we knock him out of every single game we play. Sorry Conner. When you finally change teams, which I'm pretty sure you will, then I'll like you. I'll cheer for you. But until then, let's bring back nineties hitting and just wail on you. I know other fans feel this way. I know other TEAMS feel this way.

It's a bit like Game of Thrones. The bad characters get rewarded, the good ones die. Time to start killing off the Lannisters! (Cept, the Oilers, were never successful enough to be a Lannister, but you get my point)

[CliffFletcher]

Originally Posted by Azhouse

It is good to see that I am not the only one. I watched Gretzky whine his way to multiple cups (often at the expense of the Flames) so the sheer fact that he is an Oiler makes me want him and the Coil to always fail no matter what. It has been built into me from the moment the Flames hit Calgary.

I was one of those people chanting "whiner... whiner..." at the Dome during the heyday of the battle of Alberta, so I know what it's like to hate the Oilers. But the reason I did hate the Oilers so much was because they were so good. Far better to have a hated rivalry with a team loaded with superstars than a mediocre or lousy team. If the Oilers has the roster of the Winnipeg Jets all those years, the rivalry wouldn't be anything close to what it has been historically.

So bring on McDavid. I hope he wins multiple scoring titles. And I hope the Flames crush his dreams multiple times in the playoffs, preferably in the conference finals.

[JBR]

Would be pure gold if he stepped to the podium Saturday to accept the jersey from huge afro Katz kid while wearing sweatpants with dress shoes.

[CroFlames]

I wonder if ol Wayner was whining about Dustin three putting his way out of victory. Classic Oileresque move - snatching defeat from the jaws of victory ha ha.

Pretty shocking to see him piss away the Open like that... Anyway, carry on.

[polak]

If any team can screw him up, it's the Oilers.

[lazypucker]

If McDavid totally despises playing in Edmonton, will we see multiple teams submitting offer sheets when his ELC expires?

[Poe969]

no because the oilers would just match it. If he despises being in Edmonton, he'll ask for a trade.

I wonder how the kid is feeling leading up to the draft? It's no secret he's going first overall to the oil and they're just pathetic. Does he think he'll turn the ship around? Does he think it's too much pressure? Does he even want to go there? I wonder what he's honestly thinking...

[Igottago]

Originally Posted by Daradon

Since being drafted by the Oilers, I would say that's a perfectly natural feeling. Not only for Flames fans, but for 80% of hockey fans in general, as they're fed up with the Oilers getting rewarded for failure too.

This. I don't care about McDavid, the Oiler's have made a complete mockery of the NHL draft system and the process of building a competitive team. The organization deserves nothing but more failure.

I will never enjoy a generational talent on that team anyways. It's not like any Flames fan is ever going to cheer an Oiler winning a scoring race or something.

Let's hope the Flames are on the way to being the next Blackhawks, and the Oilers pretty much become the Caps (even that is more than they deserve). That would be fine even if McDavid is putting up 50 goals.

[Hackey]

Originally Posted by Poe969

no because the oilers would just match it. If he despises being in Edmonton, he'll ask for a trade.

I wonder how the kid is feeling leading up to the draft? It's no secret he's going first overall to the oil and they're just pathetic. Does he think he'll turn the ship around? Does he think it's too much pressure? Does he even want to go there? I wonder what he's honestly thinking...

I'm sure most 18 year old kids are just happy to be playing in the NHL. Edmonton does have a lot of young talent so I'm sure that gives you some hope if your McDavid. When you go 1st overall you kind of expect to go a bottom feeder rebuilding team. Edmonton really has the best chance of all the bottom teams to turn things around the quickest.

[Fire of the Phoenix]

Are they seriously trying to pass off his reaction to the lottery result as his personality? How can transparent despondency be a personality? If it is, wow, I feel sorry for the kid. It's gotta be tough going through life looking like you just found your dog died while simultaneously being told grandma has cancer. He must be a riot at parties.

Maybe he's got some rare condition where, when he smiles he's actually sad and when he's frowning, he's really euphoric? If that's the case, then I think I get it. He was obviously hoping for Edmonton all along, because his weird, opposite reaction condition made him look like the 'happiest' kid in the world upon hearing the news.