I agree with your take but talk about heaping unneeded pressure on the kid. Benning essentially said “I’ve drafted a Lidstrom type so now it’s up to the kid to prove me right”.

That’s like Benning saying EP reminds him of Gretzky... just stupid to say that to a desperate fan base. Why paint yourself into a corner?
- bloatedmosquito

That happens with most 1st rounders. GM's talk about what they see in them, and the player they remind them of.
McDavid was being talked about in the same category as Gretzky and Lemieux before he was even drafted.

Be nice vintsy, he's trying.
- Codes1087

Close only counts in horse shoes and hand grenades.

That happens with most 1st rounders. GM's talk about what they see in them, and the player they remind them of.
McDavid was being talked about in the same category as Gretzky and Lemieux before he was even drafted.
- Retinalz

To be fair, if McDavid were on the ice with those two guys he'd probably be the best of the three...

- Shuswap Wap

lol

To be fair, if McDavid were on the ice with those two guys he'd probably be the best of the three...
- 1970vintage

To be fair, if McDavid were on the ice with those two guys he'd probably be the best of the three...
- 1970vintage

Its absolutely bonkers how good mcdavid is, and at all aspects of the game.

- LordHumungous

I'm not saying he's "better than the great one", but honestly, if McDavid got in a time travelling phone booth and went back to 1989 and picked up 24 year old Lemieux and went back to 1985 where 24 year old Gretzky was and the three of them played on the same team McDavid would probably be "the" star...

Its absolutely bonkers how good mcdavid is, and at all aspects of the game.
- Codes1087

It's such a shame he has the personality of a rock. I guess to a certain extent you have to be a bit boring in order to be that good though, Crosby is the same way.

Its absolutely bonkers how good mcdavid is, and at all aspects of the game.
- Codes1087

Can you imagine McDavid shooting on 80's goalies?

Can you imagine McDavid shooting on 80's goalies?
- 1970vintage

Yeah imagine being able to lift the puck in the 80s

I'm not saying he's "better than the great one", but honestly, if McDavid got in a time travelling phone booth and went back to 1989 and picked up 24 year old Lemieux and went back to 1985 where 24 year old Gretzky was and the three of them played on the same team McDavid would probably be "the" star...
- 1970vintage

He would have been laid out by Stevens or C. Lemieux, Probert. McDavid would never get away with skating through the middle of ice they way he does.

You really are hysterical today
- CanuckDon

Can you see why he was abandoned at an Orange Julius in a food court?

Yeah imagine being able to lift the puck in the 80s
- NorthNuck

I bet you even with a Sherwood Rekker EK300 wooden stick, and Bauer Super Tacks McD would be able to put it top cheese.

Can you imagine McDavid shooting on 80's goalies?
- 1970vintage

Can you imagine McDavid being alive in the 80s or 90s?

He would have been laid out by Stevens or C. Lemieux, Probert. McDavid would never get away with skating through the middle of ice they way he does.
- Makita

Beat me to it while I was finding gifs

Can you see why he was abandoned at an Orange Julius in a food court?
- Marwood

It all makes sense now. You definitely did the right thing

He would have been laid out by Stevens or C. Lemieux, Probert. McDavid would never get away with skating through the middle of ice they way he does.
- Makita

Not in 85 he wouldn't. Plus he's 6' and almost 200lbs. He would have been "big" for that era. None of those plugs could have turned quick enough to lay a lick on him.

He would have been laid out by Stevens or C. Lemieux, Probert. McDavid would never get away with skating through the middle of ice they way he does.
- Makita

Back when men didn't remove their body hair.

Can you imagine McDavid being alive in the 80s or 90s?



- NewYorkNuck

You're clearly too young to remember the 80's, but Tiger Williams was a tough guy then.

Also, did you notice where the puck was when Karyia got laid out? It was like 40' away... If Stevens played now he'd be suspended 80 out of 82 games per year.

Can you see why he was abandoned at an Orange Julius in a food court?
- Marwood

My reality was leftys wet dream.

Per Batch

Pearson-Horvat-Höglander
Motte-Miller-Boeser
MacEwen-Sutter-Hawryluk
Highmore-Boyd-Virtanen

Edler-Schmidt
Hughes-Hamonic
Myers-Juolevi

Demko

You're clearly too young to remember the 80's, but Tiger Williams was a tough guy then.

Also, did you notice where the puck was when Karyia got laid out? It was like 40' away... If Stevens played now he'd be suspended 80 out of 82 games per year.
- 1970vintage

We're talking about McDavid playing back then, not Stevens in the now

It's impossible to compare eras, especially if we take players how they are now and transport them back in time.

I've played minimal ice hockey in my life but I'm sure if I went back to 1930 I could play in the NHL

What's untrue is we don't actually know whether or not he was allowed or wasn't, but what we do know is that he had one available and it never was used.

As far as the fanbase goes, who cares. You don't build a championship roster and do so by appeasing a fanbase. I wanted toffoli signed and virtanen let go as soon as the playoffs ended.
- Codes1087

Don’t forget Tanev, Schmidt looks like crap.

Not in 85 he wouldn't. Plus he's 6' and almost 200lbs. He would have been "big" for that era. None of those plugs could have turned quick enough to lay a lick on him.
- 1970vintage

I'm sure Lindros thought the same...

Don’t forget Tanev, Schmidt looks like crap.
- K-man25

He made some bad mistakes last game, some weird turnovers at the blue line, but I still really like Schmidt.