2015 NHL Draft: Oilers select Connor McDavid with first overall pick
The Edmonton Oilers surprised no one and selected Connor McDavid of the Erie Otters with the first overall pick in the 2015 NHL Entry Draft.
By
Chris Peters
•
2 min read
SUNRISE, Fla. -- After the long wait, Edmonton Oilers general manager Peter Chiarelli stepped up to the podium and made Connor McDavid the first overall draft choice of the 2015 NHL Entry Draft.
It was the culmination of three years of hype, hope and anticipation of McDavid’s arrival since he was granted exceptional player status to join the Ontario Hockey League a year early.
Widely considered the best NHL Draft prospect since Sidney Crosby was taken first overall by the Pittsburgh Penguins in 2005, McDavid has the potential to turn around an Oilers franchise that has been in perpetual rebuild mode.
Adding McDavid, who had 120 points in just 47 games with the Erie Otters last season, to a young core that already includes the likes of Taylor Hall, Jordan Eberle and Ryan Nugent-Hopkins vastly improves the Oilers’ long-term outlook.
The talented forward has elite speed, vision and puck skills. His hockey IQ is off the charts and after absolutely laying waste to the junior ranks this season, McDavid projects to be a star by Year 1. His postseason performance, notching 49 points in 20 games including a staggering 21 goals, showed he only got stronger as the year went on. Assuming he continues his progression at this pace, he could be an MVP candidate in short order.
However, Oilers fans have been through the hype and praise of nabbing the first-overall pick before. This time, it's different.
On top of McDavid being on another level than each of the three previous first-overall picks the Oilers have had over the last six years, there’s more reason for legitimate optimism in Edmonton. McDavid’s arrival combined with the change in structure at the top of the organization with new president Bob Nicholson, the addition of Chiarelli to run hockey operations and Todd McLellan as head coach has the Oilers looking like they'll finally break free from the malaise that the franchise has been mired in since 2006.
There will be a lot of work left to do this summer in attempting to build around McDavid and the rest of the young core, but the club has the cap space and a new GM to perhaps more ably navigate this season and beyond. They also have the potential franchise savior now, which is going to make free agents look at the Oilers differently, perhaps.
The club that Wayne Gretzky helped make famous now has an honest shot at rebirth and their best chance to bring back the glory days of old.
