Connor McDavid is in the midst of what could be his best year in hockey yet. After a slow start to the season, he’s definitely taken over, now atop the NHL scoring race – and carrying that dominance over to the international stage of the Olympics.
For a moment, the debates over whether fellow superstar Nathan MacKinnon had closed the gap on McDavid as the best player in the world became real. However, McDavid has since emphatically shut down those talks, and even MacKinnon, his new Team Canada linemate, can’t hide his excitement about sharing the ice with No. 97.
MacKinnon said:
“I’d be lying if I said it wasn’t cool. I love the game. I’m inspired by Connor. I think he’s the best and he pushes me to be even better… Playing on the same page with him is a blessing. He’s flying. He’s flying. It’s fun to have him on your own team when he’s flying like that. What words can I say? He’s a special player and he’s ready to go, and that article he wrote certainly sums up his mentality.”
McDavid’s six points (one goal, five assists) in two games may not even tell the full story; he could easily have two or three more points, and based on the eye test, he seems to be in a class of his own.
Now keep in mind that HC Jon Cooper has gone all in and formed a trio of McDavid, MacKinnon and the next young superstar, Macklin Celebrini, and you have to wonder if anyone will be able to stop him from leading Canada to a gold medal.
One thing is certain: if Canada goes deep in this tournament, McDavid will set the record for most productive Olympian by an NHL player. Teemu Selanne and Saku Koivu are currently at the top with 11 points from 2006. So McDavid is already more than halfway done with a match against France next Sunday, so the two legendary Finns should be ready to be surpassed.
Next: ESPN Ranked Connor McDavid How Low Among NHLers at the Olympics?
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