Edmonton Oilers captain Conor McDavid is a star of the NHL. His gift for hockey has taken him from a talented young player to a respected and prolific scorer and assist-maker for his team. If you want to perfectly capture McDavid’s value, you only need to look at his achievements in March 2023.
On March 14, McDavid hit 129 points for the season, the highest single-season total for an active NHL player. On March 22, the Oilers captain hit his 60th goal for the season in only 72 games. The last player to reach this total faster was Mario Lemieux, who hit 60 goals in 70 games in the 1987-88 season. This is only a small snippet of McDavid’s talent which began to show when he was a child.
A talent from a young age
McDavid was so keen and talented at the young age of six that his parents put him in a house league with nine-year-olds. The gifted youngster went on to join the Ontario Hockey League at the age of 15. He went to join Team Canada’s World Juniors team when he was 16. After that, McDavid powered onwards and secured his position as a respected NHL stalwart.
McDavid’s success is set to continue
If McDavid continues to be the prolific points scorer he has been so far, he will always be known as one of the greats, alongside players such as Lemieux and Gretzky. In terms of pure scoring ability, he could become the greatest ever player. He is not just known for his scoring ability either, McDavid is also one of the best at putting up assists. He is also super fast, and his speed transitions are truly special.
Potential issues with advertising revenue, but the future is still bright
One potential issue for McDavid is the possible removal of a valuable revenue stream. The Alcohol and Gaming Commission (AGCO) is proposing a ban on sports stars and other celebrities advertising online casinos in Ontario in order to reduce potentially harmful effects on young people. McDavid is currently involved with online casino advertising, as are other players such as Auston Matthews of the Toronto Maple Leafs.
If the ban comes to pass, which seems likely, McDavid will lose this revenue opportunity. However, it’s unlikely he will be too concerned, given his ongoing success as a player. He has already achieved most of the ambitions he mentioned to his mother as a child. These ambitions included being a first-overall NHL draft pick, being inducted into the Hockey Hall of Fame, and winning the Stanley Cup. Only the Stanley Cup ambition is yet to be fulfilled. Some experts and fans believe that the Oilers have made mistakes that could potentially damage McDavid’s chances in this area.
However, it would be dangerous to write off the chances of such a gifted player to lift the hardware he has dreamed of winning since childhood. If McDavid continues playing to such a high standard, he has a good chance of seeing all his ambitions achieved in a career that still has a long way to run.
