NHL Rivalry: A Glimpse at Connor McDavid vs. Jack Eichel

Despite being the second to last team in the National Hockey League last year, with only the Sabres trailing them, the Edmonton Oilers won the draft lottery. From that day, there were two prospects pitted against each other: Connor McDavid and Jack Eichel.

The news channels raved. Social media went crazy. Which player would be drafted first, the wild Canadian teenage sensation who had been on the NHL’s radar since becoming a teenager, or would it be Boston University’s star player with a chip on his shoulder?

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When the draft came, the choice was obvious. The Oilers knew which player they would need to change their generation of hockey. They needed McDavid, a young player from Canada who holds such high potential and has been compared to so many greats. With a clean front office and a tough new coach in Todd McLellan, the Oilers went ahead on the clock and drafted McDavid, no doubt about it.

This was by no-means a major loss to the Sabres organization. Sure, they missed out on the top prospect, but they drafted Jack Eichel, the top NHL prospect in the States. And since that day, there has been a major rivalry pitted between the two teams, who are both on the bottom of the NHL food chain and hold the top prospects in NHL hockey.

Let’s compare it to the rivalry between Sidney Crosby and Alex Ovechkin. Ovechkin was drafted in 2004 first overall, but was held out due to the lockout pending. Sidney Crosby was drafted first overall the next year, and since then, both of the top draft picks, starting their career at the same time, have been put into a deep, hot-blooded rivalry, especially due to the fact that they play for rival teams that can’t stand each other.

Although that rivalry has calmed down a bit, due to the fact that they have turned into completely different players. However, McDavid vs. Eichel is going to be bigger than that rivalry, and it already is becoming bigger due to social media and the fact that both of these players signify a new generation of NHL hockey.

It has been years since we’ve seen the next NHL greats. Now, we will finally see some new kinds of players on the ice, taking their potential to brand new heights. But who will be the better performer?

McDavid leads the Oilers in points so far this preseason, with four assists over the course of only two preseason games. He is going to be a huge playmaker for the Oilers, but once he starts getting out there in the regular season, the goals will come to him. As for Eichel this preseason, he netted a game-winning goal in his preseason debut and has been clicking on a top line with Evander Kane and Tyler Ennis.

When it comes to this season, I believe McDavid will make more of an impact. McLellan will develop McDavid into a responsible, well-rounded NHL centerman, and with Taylor Hall, Ryan Nugent-Hopkins and other highly-talented first rounders with him, he will click with these top players and make the Oilers lethal when it comes to offense. His backcheck and speed can’t go unnoticed, because that will definitely help the Oil’s defense.

I can be sure of one thing: this rivalry sparks a new generation of NHL hockey, one that we haven’t seen in at least ten years. Let’s just see what impact it has on these franchises.

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