When I was 10 years old, a cartoon called “Pro Stars” appeared one Saturday morning. In it, Michael Jordan, Bo Jackson and Wayne Gretzky traveled around doing hero things, being pals. It felt like a pivotal moment for hockey: the game’s biggest star, having been traded from Edmonton to Los Angeles a few years prior, had become “cool.”
Well, all these many years later, there’s another hockey player doing things that should vault him into the conversation around who our very best athletes are. But he hasn’t left Edmonton yet, the world has changed in so many ways and this much is true: We’re not making a big enough deal about how good Connor McDavid is at playing hockey.
Last night he recorded his 100th point in just his 53rd game when he earned an assist on this game-winning goal:
the call from @IceSinghHNIC is good pic.twitter.com/gJNrmMb43Z
— Mike Pfeil (@mikepfeil_) May 9, 2021
Let’s try to put this into some perspective:
The last player to have 99 points in 53 games was Mario Lemieux way back in 1996.
Only seven players had done it in NHL history before tonight. McDavid joins Gretzky (10x), Lemieux, Dionne, Kurri, Jagr, Dionne and Yzerman.
— James Mirtle (@mirtle) May 9, 2021
Ok. Well. Perhaps this mostly puts into perspective how special Gretzky was and there’s no arguing that. McDavid, though, had a more difficult task: The game isn’t nearly as open as it was when Gretzky was in his prime, though it may be easier on offensive players, due to how penalties are called, than it was in 1996. Still, today’s goaltenders are much better (and larger) now than they were in the 1980s and even 90s.
Mostly McDavid’s task was more difficult for all the reasons most sports have become more difficult: athletes are much better conditioned and trained, starting at a younger age, which closes the gap between the stars and the rest of the league.
Yet McDavid always stands out. Gretzky’s brilliance sometimes seemed like a magic trick. Never the biggest or fastest, he simply appeared in the right spots and made the right play.
There’s no such subtlety to McDavid’s game. The way he skates makes pretty much every other NHL player look like they’re kids on a pond, still mastering their craft.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rbrSxIEdKIg
It’s just silly.
Ok, a caveat: Due to Covid adjustments, McDavid has been playing against only the other Canadian teams, and some might say those teams are playing defense as if they relocated to the QMJHL (this is a very specific hockey joke, it’s like saying an NFL team played defense as ruggedly as a Big 12 team).
You could also point out that McDavid plays on the same team as the league’s No. 2 scorer, Leon Draisaitl (who has 79 points) and therefore may benefit from easier matchups at times.
And you’ll find people willing to argue that McDavid isn’t even the league’s MVP this season, because other star players did more for their team:
Penguins won deepest division, had 4th-most man-games lost, played 12 defenseman in first month, GM quit, Evgeni Malkin missed 20-plus games.
If Mike Sullivan doesn’t win Adams & Crosby the Hart, it’s flatly anti-Penguins bias. They would with any other franchise.
Good night!— Rob Rossi (@Real_RobRossi) May 9, 2021
Yeah, no. Recognizing a special season from McDavid — clearly the most dominant individual talent in the sport right now — would not be anti-Penguins bias. It’d just be noticing a really superb player! (Also, Rod Brind’Amour should win the Adams award for coach of the year, but I digress.)
Either way, we’re lucky enough to be watching a transcendent talent in his prime. So use this chance! The Oilers will be on television during the playoffs. Find a game. Watch in awe.
McDavid may not have the sweet, blonde flow that made Gretzky a great TV character ….
But he’s entering that upper echelon of must-see athletes:
As someone old enough to have seen Gretzky and Lemieux at their peak, appreciate being a fan in the McDavid era. It won’t last forever, but you’ll be telling stories about this guy for decades.
— Down Goes Brown (@DownGoesBrown) May 9, 2021
In terms of how much better he is than his competition, think you could make a pretty reasonable case Connor McDavid is the best male athlete in the world right now.
— Bill Barnwell (@billbarnwell) May 9, 2021
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