Both Sidney Crosby and Connor McDavid have been called a generational talent. If Wayne Gretzky is the Great One, then Crosby is the Current One and McDavid the Next One. For the first time ever, these two 1st overall draft picks and sensational hockey players finally played against each other.
Fans have been waiting well over a year for this match-up, which was supposed to take place this time last year. Unfortunately for fans and McDavid, he was sidelined for 3 months with a collarbone injury days before he was supposed to meet Sidney Crosby and the Pittsburgh Penguins.
Then this summer at the World Cup of Hockey we thought we may get a chance to see these two superstars compete against each other. But it was not in the stars for the speedy North American team to meet the powerhouse that is Team Canada, so the world had to wait until November 8.
It is hard to believe that is has been over a decade since ‘Sid The Kid’ made his NHL debut but here we are about to witness him meet up with the best of the next generation. When asked if he had ever played against McDavid in any type of game, Crosby simply laughed and replied, “ No I am old.”
Growing up, McDavid idolized Crosby so it only makes sense that these two are now being compared against one another. Both were drafted first overall to teams in dire need of a rebuilding, both became captains of said teams at a very young age(McDavid younger)and both are the face of their team’s franchise. If McDavid can keep the similarities with Crosby going, he’s sure to have an amazing career.
When asked about playing against Crosby for the first time in his young NHL career, McDavid spoke highly of the opportunity and talked about what a great career Crosby has had so far. McDavid noted, “If you can have half his success or even a quarter of his success, I think that’s a pretty amazing career,” McDavid said. “You know what he’s been able to do and all the championships he’s won. He’s won basically everything there is to win. So definitely he’s a pretty good guy to try and follow.
Crosby had nothing but praise when asked about Tuesday’s game and McDavid’s skill and more specifically his speed. According to Crosby, “He’s strong on the puck. I think just his hockey sense and his speed are probably the biggest things that [stand out], I think.”
Tuesday’s anticipated game ended well for the veteran player as the Penguins walked away with a 4-3 over the Oilers. Although his team lost, McDavid did not walk away empty handed. The young captain racked up 3 assists which places him in a tie for second place for points. His points weren’t the only thing that stood out, his speed throughout the game was something to marvel at and it was apparent that it caused the Penguins step up their game to adjust, especially after being down 3-1.
Even though Crosby was without a point during Tuesday’s game, his effort did not go unnoticed. The Penguin’s captain loves to compete and having the next best player across from him in the face-off circle pushed him to prove that he isn’t done yet. No matter which player you root for, the present or the future, we need to appreciate how lucky we are to witness these two players competing at the same time. No one knows if McDavid can match the career that Crosby has had so far, but one thing is for certain, it will be fun to watch him try.