The only negative for the hometown fans of the Edmonton Oilers is that their new era, the one built around 18-year-old rookie Connor McDavid, will begin on the road.
McDavid, the No. 1 overall pick and the latest youngster thought to be the next Gretzky, will join his teammates in St Louis for yesterday’s season opener — the most anticipated in many years for the long-suffering Oilers.
“I’m just worried about each and every day here, trying to get better and prove to the coaching staff and management team what I’m all about and making sure I’m earning their trust,” McDavid said during camp.
The 1.85m, 86kg McDavid does not have to do anything by himself, of course. Edmonton have piled up talent for years, it is just that the poor results and coaching changes and constant setbacks have taken their toll. The Oilers have not reached the playoffs in nine years.
With McDavid have come some changes.
Former Hockey Canada president Bob Nicholson was made head of hockey and business operations, and he hired a general manager in Peter Chiarelli who had built the Boston Bruins into a Stanley Cup winner. Chiarelli hired ex-San Jose coach Todd McLellan and overhauled the rest of the coaching staff.
McDavid has been paired in the pre-season with Taylor Hall on left wing and either Leon Draisaitl or Teddy Purcell on the right. The other top line is expected to be Ryan Nugent-Hopkins with the currently injured Jordan Eberle and Benoit Pouliot.
Goaltender Cam Talbot, brought over from the New York Rangers after starring there when Henrik Lundqvist went down, is expected to be the starter.
“We’re not going to talk about playoffs here,” McLellan said, according to Canadian Press. “We’re going to talk about foundation.”
With that in mind, some other things to watch in Edmonton:
LOWERED EXPECTATIONS: Asked about McDavid, Chiarelli looked to former No. 1 pick John Tavares and recalled a rookie point production in the mid 50s. He predicted 20 goals and 40 points for McDavid this season.
“He could have a real great year, but it’s a tough league. It’s a tough league when you’re 18 years old,” Chiarelli said.
PUMP THE BREAKS: In recent years, the Oilers have been renowned for their aggressiveness in adding first-year players to the roster. With the notable exception of McDavid, that is not going to be the case anymore.
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Shohei Ohtani’s interpreter is being criminally investigated by the IRS, and the attorney for his alleged bookmaker said Thursday that the ex-Los Angeles Dodgers employee placed bets on international soccer — but not baseball. The IRS confirmed Thursday that interpreter Ippei Mizuhara and Mathew Bowyer, the alleged illegal bookmaker, are under criminal investigation through the agency’s Los Angeles Field Office. IRS Criminal Investigation spokesperson Scott Villiard said he could not provide additional details. Mizuhara, 39, was fired by the Dodgers on Wednesday following reports from the Los Angeles Times and ESPN about his alleged ties to an illegal bookmaker and debts well
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