In most sports, superstar players are extremely well-known personalities. That isn’t exactly the case in the NHL. Last week, I wrote a post on 7 cool things about Sidney Crosby. Despite him being the best player in the world for a lengthy period of time, many aren’t aware of him due to his quiet persona.
Related: THW’s Cool Things Collection
Another player who is quite similar in this regard is Connor McDavid. Viewed by most as the current top player in the world, he too is very quiet in his approach with media and not a ton is known about him by fans on a personal level. While he does have social media, unlike Crosby, it is almost specifically for advertisements with companies he is sponsored by, as he tends to stay away from posts regarding his personal life. However, with any athlete as good as he is, certain fun facts still get picked up by the media over time. Here are 7 cool things about the Edmonton Oilers superstar.
Youngest Captain in NHL History
When taken first overall in the 2015 NHL Draft, everyone knew that McDavid would soon become a generational talent for the Oilers. The organization clearly knew that as well, and named him their team captain after just one season.
With the honour, McDavid, at the age of 19 years and 266 days, became the youngest captain in NHL history. This is a title he still holds, and one that may not be broken in some time. While some have continued to question whether he was too young at the time to be given the ‘C’, it is very clear he has the full respect of all teammates he has had over his seven seasons with the Oilers.
Exceptional Status
From a very young age, McDavid has been viewed as a phenom, with many believing watching him as a kid that he would one day become an NHL superstar. His excellence was made clear when he was granted exceptional status by the Ontario Hockey League (OHL), meaning he was able to play his rookie season at age 15 rather than the standard age of 16.
At the time, McDavid became just the third player in OHL history to be given exceptional status, with the two before him being John Tavares and Aaron Ekblad. It was clearly the right decision, as his 66 points in 63 games with the Eerie Otters that season was good enough for second in team scoring.
Considered Playing for Boston University
Though he ultimately went on to play in the OHL, McDavid considered going the college route prior to joining Eerie, with his preferred destination being Boston University (BU). Clearly, this plan never came to fruition, but had it, he likely would have played with Jack Eichel, who went number two overall in the 2015 draft after his one and only season at BU.
Obviously, it never happened, but it would have been quite a treat for hockey fans to have witnessed Eichel and McDavid on the same team. Given all his success to this point, however, it is quite clear he made the right choice in going the OHL route.
Grew up a Leafs Fan
Growing up in Ontario, McDavid became a fan of the Toronto Maple Leafs fan at a very young age. The now 25-year-old said prior to being drafted that being selected by the Maple Leafs would be “a dream come true.” As we now know, the Oilers won the draft lottery and selected McDavid, while the Maple Leafs fell to fourth and got a great player of their own in Mitch Marner.
Interestingly enough, McDavid plays on a team that has become somewhat of a rival to the Maple Leafs despite playing in a different conference. A big reason for this is because of Auston Matthews, who many believe is the game’s brightest young star aside from McDavid. The two should continue to wow for years to come, and make must-watch TV when they are matched up against one another.
Overcame a Career-Threatening Injury
In the Oilers’ final game of the 2018-19 season, McDavid was tripped up by then-Calgary Flames defenceman Mark Giordano and went flying into the goal post. It was evident immediately that something was wrong, and shortly after it was confirmed that he had suffered a torn PCL in his knee. What wasn’t known, however, was just how serious that injury turned out to be.
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McDavid was forced to make a very tough decision that summer. He could either undergo surgery, which was the safer route, but be forced to miss the entire 2019-20 season. The other option was rehabbing the injury, which had never been done by an athlete before, and risked taking away his blazing speed. In the end, he chose the second option and recovered much quicker than anybody had anticipated. He went on to put up a ridiculous 34 goals and 97 points in just 64 games that next season.
House Designed by Girlfriend
Roughly a year ago, pictures were posted to social media of McDavid’s house in Edmonton. Many marveled at both the size and design of the house and were treated to a video in recent months from Architectural Digest which gave a full tour of the home.
As it turns out, the house was designed by McDavid’s fiance, Lauren Kyle. Kyle, who is an interior designer, had varying opinions from a variety of individuals. Some complimented the modern design, while others found the lack of colour to be depressing.
Appeared in a Country Music Video
On Nov. 6 2020, Canadian country star Brett Kissel released the music video for a song called “A Few Good Stories” which features Walk off the Earth. In the video, McDavid has a brief appearance, as well as his dog Lenny.
Though the appearance was extremely brief, this was out of the ordinary for McDavid who, as mentioned, tends to shy away from the public spotlight. Perhaps as he gets older we will get to see him come out of his shell more often.
Best Is Yet to Come
Despite already having five Art Ross Trophies, four Ted Lindsay Awards, and three Hart Trophies, we still have not yet seen the best from McDavid. He continues to awe day in and day out and is just beginning to enter the prime of his career. It will be fantastic to see what he was able to achieve by the time his career is all said and done.
