Entering his second season in the NHL, Connor McDavid is once again facing enormous expectations which may even dwarf the ones he experienced last year. McDavid will turn 20 in January and is looking to prove himself after a 2015-16 season which saw him suffer a serious injury while still posting over a point-per-game pace with 47 points in 45 games.
What does McDavid have to say heading into his second season?
Via Sportsnet:
“I just want to go in and have a good (training) camp and show everyone that I’m not some 18-year-old kid anymore.”
McDavid’s statement is correct (he’ll be 19 in camp), but his comments aren’t meant to be taken in a literal fashion. McDavid is trying to convey that he’s grown as a player and shouldn’t be viewed as a youngster in a men’s game even though he only has 45 NHL games under his belt.
As McDavid tries to shift his image, there’s the very real possibility that he may eventually become the next captain of the Oilers. Some have already reported that McDavid is already the leader on the roster, but it’s possible that will be made official in the near future. That’s a possibility which seems to excite the youngster.
“It would mean so much. It would definitely be an accomplishment that I would be the most proud of. But that’s still to be determined and I don’t want to talk about it too much or anything like that.”
Realistically, McDavid is the future of the organization and the club will eventually recognize that in a formal fashion. Along those lines, McDavid has already proved he can compete in the NHL and has quickly shed any doubts that he needed more time before making the jump into the game’s best league. McDavid must believe that he has more to prove based on his comments which should be a scary thought for the rest of the NHL.
