It is Connor McDavid's team against Darnell Nurse's team in a conference final full of Oilers overtones,, even if the two gifted teens know better than to acknowledge that connection.
The Edmonton Oilers won the McDavid lottery last Saturday and, of course, drafted Nurse No. 9 overall two summers ago when they didn't actually have an early pick to use on a skilled forward. The franchise player of the Erie Otters and blossoming shutdown defenceman of the Sault Ste. Marie Greyhounds — which come to think of it, are the junior team of Wayne Gretzky, who just praised McDavid to the skies this week — are trying to make it not about them.