ST. LOUIS — Connor McDavid walks through the hall under the stands in the Scottrade Center a few hours before his NHL debut. He arrives in a makeshift media room and stands in front of an Edmonton Oilers banner. The TV cameras click on. He exhales and looks straight ahead.
The Next Big Thing has arrived.
This generational player has sweat-caked hair that flies in every direction, as if he combed it with his stick. His sneakers are untied. Sweat glistens across his forehead, a remnant of the morning skate that ended a few minutes ago.