Yeah thats why I said its very rare. Again, I think Oilers fans should be hoping for a 50pt season. If it was anything lower then that MAYBE you could be a bit dissapointed. At the end of the day your still gonna have this kid going shelf for the next 10-15 years in copper and blue

Lucky (frank)ers


- SENS 613

They should not hope for 50.. he's the best prospect since crosby.. he will out score Stones rookie numbers.

this X 1000

its very rare that an 18 year old comes into the league and puts up huge numbers (Tanner guaranteeing he gets 70pts)

If I am Edmonton I would be more then happy with a 25g 25a type of season. No need to be lining him up against the Weber's/Suters of the west who will literally try put him through the boards any chance they get.

Last thing you want is a shoulder injury ala RNH because you rushed him too quickly to play with the big boys. Sheltered minutes that steadily increase throughout the season is the best play IMO.
- SENS 613

Maybe for 41 games the Oilers can (and likely will) work to get McDavid on the ice against inferior competition. But for the other 41 games, he's getting every teams #1 unit.

The only way he scores 50 points is if he's injured. He doens't need to acclimate himself to the NHL, he's going to step in and be one of the leagues best players.

You say its rare for rookies to dominate. You know what's even more rare? A veteran player with experience at his absolute peak being even half as talented as Connor McDavid.

As for the injury thing, they happen. It's such bad reverse causation to say RNH got injured because he wasn't ready for the NHL. The fact is, every time you take the ice in the NHL you're risking a career ending injury and things like the puck being as hard as a bullet and playing on ice with razor blades strapped to your feet have way more to do with a guy getting injured then his size.

People act like RNH was the smallest guy in the NHL or something. He wasn't.

Michael Dal Cole

Wow, Crosby put up 102 points his rookie year... Ovi 106...
There are the comparisons being made with McDavid...
- geta02it

That was also the year after the lockout when penalties were called way more strictly and the game was way more wide open than it had ever been. That year had a lot of aberration scoring years. Jagr and Thornton each scored 120 points. Jonathan Cheechoo scored 50 goals. I'm pretty sure Spezza, Alfredsson and Heatley each got 100 points (remember that line?).

Since then scoring has gone back to the level it was before the lockout. So yeah, expect no more than maybe 60 points for McDavid. Even that's probably generous given the way scoring's gone lately.

By "how hard it was for McDavid to handle the big bodied players in the playoffs last year," you mean scoring 49 points in 20 games, then no, I don't think anyone forgets that.
- Sniped_It

I think he was refering to McD getting shut down by the line of Cirelli-Cassels-Smith.

The Oilers have a huge issue of not being able to get the puck into the dangerous areas in the offensive zone. A problem that didn't really appear to be solved by season's end.

If McDavid can start leading by example in terms of producing chances in those areas; then a 50 pt season is acceptable. Hall works his a$$ off to get the puck to those areas and I'm sure is extremely frustrated with such an ongoing issue.

I remember watching entire games last season where they would get only one good chance in the slot.

McDavid is the obvious (and quite rational) choice. And I knew it would be the most popular. But, this one is very hard to predict.

Panarin may surprise some people, and he will be playing likely alongside Toews and Hossa.

By "how hard it was for McDavid to handle the big bodied players in the playoffs last year," you mean scoring 49 points in 20 games, then no, I don't think anyone forgets that.
- Sniped_It

That was also the year after the lockout when penalties were called way more strictly and the game was way more wide open than it had ever been. That year had a lot of aberration scoring years. Jagr and Thornton each scored 120 points. Jonathan Cheechoo scored 50 goals. I'm pretty sure Spezza, Alfredsson and Heatley each got 100 points (remember that line?).

Since then scoring has gone back to the level it was before the lockout. So yeah, expect no more than maybe 60 points for McDavid. Even that's probably generous given the way scoring's gone lately.
- GOODPLAYA20

It's not a question of McDavid being a special hockey player because, in all likelihood, he will likely be the face of the league inside of three seasons.

But scoring is down in the NHL, way down, despite the abundance of elite offensive talent around the league today.

The difference between now, and even ten years ago, is that virtually every team plays a defensive system and/or has good to great goaltending. For goaltenders, having a goals against above 2.50 is considered average these days. Backchecking, for all forwards, is more prevailent now than ever before as well. Space and time is not as abundant as it once was. There are more 3-2, 2-1 final scores than there are 5-4 or 6-5 finishes.

McDavid will be great but the standard for offensive prowess has definitely changed these days and the top scorers generally don't crack 95 points let alone triple digits.

That was also the year after the lockout when penalties were called way more strictly and the game was way more wide open than it had ever been. That year had a lot of aberration scoring years. Jagr and Thornton each scored 120 points. Jonathan Cheechoo scored 50 goals. I'm pretty sure Spezza, Alfredsson and Heatley each got 100 points (remember that line?).

Since then scoring has gone back to the level it was before the lockout. So yeah, expect no more than maybe 60 points for McDavid. Even that's probably generous given the way scoring's gone lately.
- GOODPLAYA20

So you don't think he will out score last year's top rookie scorers? Okay...

McDavid in a landslide and he will contend for Art Ross.

I think he was refering to McD getting shut down by the line of Cirelli-Cassels-Smith.
- fry

He was shut down by the incredible goaltending of Appleby (or TGIFriday or whatever his name is)

He was shut down by the incredible goaltending of Appleby (or TGIFriday or whatever his name is)
- Matt_Henderson

Lol. No. Did you watch the Oshawa-Erie series, Matt? It was mostly Cassels checking/taking faceoffs out of his mind but that line was always paired with McD and he got shut down.

Lol. No. Did you watch the Oshawa-Erie series, Matt? It was mostly Cassels checking/taking faceoffs out of his mind but that line was always paired with McD and he got shut down.
- fry

That said, Cros-Man got shut down by Prust's line in the Memorial Cup and it didn't really mean a lot.

Take it for what it's worth.

Lol. No. Did you watch the Oshawa-Erie series, Matt? It was mostly Cassels checking/taking faceoffs out of his mind but that line was always paired with McD and he got shut down.
- fry

I did watch it, he went 2-5-7 in 5 games that series and was robbed on a few great chances to score. So...yeah. Shut down to the tune of better than a point per game.

I did watch it, he went 2-5-7 in 5 games that series and was robbed on a few great chances to score. So...yeah. Shut down to the tune of better than a point per game.
- Matt_Henderson

Below his insane average. The Otters limited to only two third period goals the entire series. Cassels (his match-up for faceoffs ect) had 12 points that series.

I'm going to say jack eichel will give mcdavid a run for his money

Much less hype, easier division and conference to play in, and he will still end up playing with some pretty good line mates as well

As for other guys who may challenge these two I think the Hawks kid will be in for an eye opener playing against the best players in the world and not khl bums...and I live Bennett but he won't be getting as much ice or the quality of line mates playing 3C in cgy

I did watch it, he went 2-5-7 in 5 games that series and was robbed on a few great chances to score. So...yeah. Shut down to the tune of better than a point per game.
- Matt_Henderson

Just looking into it a bit more; McDavid was pointless in two games. Which brings him to about his playoff average for the other three games.

Jeckel with his bias pick of panarin

Just looking into it a bit more; McDavid was pointless in two games. Which brings him to about his playoff average for the other three games.
- fry

You're arguing semantics. Even while being "shut down" McDavid was still performing at a high level.

Jeckel with his bias pick of panarin
- KINGS67

I know... on no one's radar but JJ's...

What's more likely to happen :

Mcdavid breaks 80 points

Mcdavid doesn't break 60

Wow, Crosby put up 102 points his rookie year... Ovi 106...
There are the comparisons being made with McDavid...
- geta02it

Crosby is literally the only statistical comparable for McDavid. 100P won't happen because no one is scoring that in today's NHL, but McDavid is Crosby 10 years ago

Just looking into it a bit more; McDavid was pointless in two games. Which brings him to about his playoff average for the other three games.
- fry

so we're basically talking a 2 game sample here?

What's more likely to happen :

Mcdavid breaks 80 points

Mcdavid doesn't break 60
- Redmile247

Breaks 80