Connor McDavid becomes the youngest captain in NHL history. USATSI

When the Edmonton Oilers drafted Connor McDavid first overall at the 2015 NHL Draft, it was clear that the organization was shifting. There aren't many players that could help wash away the numerous stops and starts and failed rebuilds just by showing up, but McDavid looks like he will be that player.

Now he'll also be that organization's captain.

The Oilers announced Wednesday that McDavid, at 19 years and 266 days old, will wear the "C" for a franchise hoping to one day reclaim the gory experienced 30 years ago. He is officially the youngest player to be named a team's permanent captain in NHL history, supplanting Gabriel Landeskog, who became captain of the Colorado Avalanche at 19 years, 286 years old. Brian Bellows, who was captain of the Minnesota North Stars at 19 years and 131 days, served in that capacity only in an interim role while regular captain Craig Hartsburg was out with injury.

McDavid joins a group of only five players to be named captain of an NHL team while still a teenager. In addition to Landeskog and Bellows, Vincent Lecavalier and Sidney Crosby were also named captain of their respective teams at 19 years old.

While the captaincy is always a lofty role in hockey, there's something particularly special about playing for an organization where some of the all-time greats donned the "C." McDavid follows in the footsteps of former Oilers captain Wayne Gretzky and Mark Messier, which only adds to the responsibility he already faced in being viewed as the franchise savior.

After playing last season without a designated captain, it only made sense to put the "C" on the kid who already is the team's best player and probably will be for a long time. The 19-year-old Ontario native also got a little taste of being a captain when he served in that role for the exciting Team North America at the World Cup of Hockey. He seemed like a natural with the "C" on his jersey.

McDavid will be joined by alternate captains Milan Lucic, Jordan Eberle and Ryan Nugent-Hopkins, the players that make up Edmonton's long-term core of forwards.

The Oilers have a chance to take a few steps forward this year, especially if McDavid stays healthy. As an 18-year-old rookie, he averaged better than a point-per-game in his injury-shortened campaign. If he produces like that over the full season this year, he could be in the hunt for the Art Ross Trophy.

There are a lot of big things happening in Edmonton now. McDavid's arrival helped bring added enthusiasm, but now the team has a new arena, Rogers Place, and more young additions like Jesse Puljujarvi up front and Adam Larsson joining the blue line. Lucic was the big-name free agent they added this summer and the club is also heading into the second season with coach Todd McLellan.

Speaking of McLellan, the head coach had some high praise for McDavid's leadership abilities.

Yzerman was the longest-tenured captain in NHL history, serving in that role for 20 years for the Detroit Red Wings. He, too, was named the leader of his team at a young age, though not quite as young as McDavid.

There are so many things for the youngster to live up to, but bigger things are ahead for this once-proud franchise and if they are to find success, it will be McDavid leading them there, now in more ways than one.