Legendary defenseman Bobby Orr believes Connor McDavid could become the greatest player to ever lace up skates.
Orr doesn't think the Edmonton Oilers captain is there yet, and he gives the greatest-ever title to Gordie Howe. But No. 4 said McDavid is on track to challenge the best of the best.
"But we've had Mario (Lemieux), Wayne (Gretzky), Sid (Crosby), and there's a guy out in Edmonton now," Orr told WEEI's Dale & Keefe. "Before this is all over, however the players are rated, they might be dropping down one by the time Connor McDavid finishes. He's going to be up there."
Howe is certainly a valid choice. The Detroit Red Wings icon recorded the most games played in NHL history, and he retired in 1980 as the league's all-time goals (801) and points leader (1,850). "Mr. Hockey" also won four Stanley Cups, six scoring titles, and was a 21-time All-Star, all while being named MVP six times.
McDavid, who's only 23 years old, has lived up to his generational-talent status and then some through his first five NHL seasons. His 1.34 points per game ranks fifth all time among players who have logged 300-plus games played, and he's already claimed one MVP, two scoring titles, and two Ted Lindsay awards, and earned three all-star nominations.
Orr himself can make a case for being considered the greatest of all time, too. Despite only playing 657 contests across 12 seasons due to injuries, Orr finished with 915 points, two Stanley Cups, two Conn Smythe trophies, and three MVPs, and he won the Norris Trophy an astonishing eight consecutive times.
Orr and McDavid maintain a long-standing relationship, as Jeff Jackson - a member of the Orr Hockey Group - represents the latter.
While every team needs a coach, it takes someone special to stand out as an iconic bench boss, regardless of the sport. How much do you know about the most impactful coaches in sports history? Take our quiz below to find out.
This week, theScore will be selecting each NHL team's greatest all-time draft bust. This edition focuses on the Metropolitan Division, excluding the Vegas Golden Knights due to the fact that their drafts are too recent to consider anybody a bust.
The pick: Alexei Smirnov (No. 12, 2000) GM responsible: Pierre Gauthier (1998-2002) Could've drafted: Ron Hainsey (13), Brooks Orpik (18), Justin Williams (28), Niklas Kronwall (29)
The Ducks have logged a number of big first-round misses over the years. In 2006 and 2007, they selected Mark Mitera and Logan MacMillan, both at 19th overall, and neither player suited up for an NHL game. Though Smirnov played in 52 contests, he gets the edge here because he was drafted much earlier at 12th overall.
The Russian forward couldn't put it together on North American ice, quickly jumping back overseas to play in his home country after spending just three seasons with the Ducks organization. The 2000 draft produced several solid NHL players who would have served the Ducks better than Smirnov did.
One of the top-rated prospects entering the 2010 draft, Gormley was considered an intelligent, puck-moving defenseman. He was a former first overall selection in the QMJHL draft and had enjoyed success in that league with the Moncton Wildcats, tallying 70 points in 120 games across two seasons before entering the NHL draft. In fact, he was named the QMJHL's top prospect for 2010.
However, Gormley only ended up playing 58 NHL games, 32 of which came with the Coyotes. He was unable to develop as hoped, and he eventually opted to play overseas in 2017. The Coyotes had direly needed a prominent star, and they passed on both Tarasenko and Schwartz, who were selected shortly after Gormley.
When Rick DiPietro went off the board as the first overall pick in the 2000 draft, some other teams may have been thinking about fetching a goalie, too. The Flames quickly took the second netminder of the draft, selecting Krahn with the ninth pick.
A highly touted prospect, Krahn produced an extremely successful junior campaign with the WHL's Calgary Hitmen prior to being drafted. In the 1999-00 season, he posted a 33-6-0 record with a .912 save percentage and a 2.38 goals-against average. Despite his promise, Krahn only played in one NHL game while struggling with a recurring knee injury early in his career.
If the Flames were truly set on selecting a goalie in 2000, Lundqvist and Bryzgalov were available later during that draft.
Edmonton Oilers
Bruce Bennett / Getty Images Sport / Getty
The Pick: Nail Yakupov (No. 1, 2012) GM responsible: Steve Tambellini (2008-2013) Could've drafted: Morgan Rielly (5), Filip Forsberg (11), Tomas Hertl (17)
When the Oilers managed to win the draft lottery for the third straight year, the team must have figured it hit the gold mine. There wasn't much debate surrounding Edmonton's selections of Ryan Nugent-Hopkins and Taylor Hall in the previous two drafts, but the 2012 class was a little bit trickier. With no consensus top prospect, the Oilers decided to go with Russian forward Nail Yakupov.
Yakupov dazzled with the OHL's Sarnia Sting, compiling an impressive 80 goals and 170 points in 107 games across two seasons. However, his scoring prowess and offensive abilities never translated to the NHL.
In four seasons with the Oilers, Yakupov notched just 50 goals and 111 points in 252 games. After stints with the Colorado Avalanche and St. Louis Blues, he headed overseas to the KHL in 2018.
Excluding the last three top NHL picks, Yakupov's point total is the third-lowest among all first overall selections since 1963, and he's widely regarded as one of the league's biggest draft busts ever.
While the rest of the 2012 class didn't turn out to be that strong, the Oilers surely could have used the typical star power expected from a first overall pick.
Hickey spent five seasons with the AHL's Manchester Monarchs after being drafted, never once getting called up for an NHL game with Los Angeles. The Kings eventually lost him on waivers to the New York Islanders in 2013. Though Hickey became a useful depth defender for the Islanders, it's pitiful that the Kings gaining absolutely nothing from a fourth overall pick.
Hickey did suffer a handful of injuries early in his career, possibly hampering his chances of producing for L.A. Nonetheless, the team passed on a number of future star players in 2007 with a rare top-five pick.
After Wishart showed promise as a big-bodied, two-way defenseman in the WHL, the Sharks must have figured they could use his 6-foot-4 frame on their blue line when he was available at No. 16.
Wishart didn't play a game in San Jose, but he was valuable as a piece in the Sharks' 2008 trade for Dan Boyle. Wishart went on to spend the majority of his time in the AHL, appearing in just 26 NHL games before heading to play overseas in 2013.
Though the Sharks used Wishart to acquire Boyle, they surely wouldn't have minded more immediate help from a younger body. With Joe Thornton leading the way up the middle and a young Joe Pavelski behind him, throwing Giroux into the mix would have made for a lethal trio of Sharks centers.
Vancouver Canucks
Helen H. Richardson / Denver Post / Getty
The pick: Dan Woodley (No. 7, 1986) GM responsible: Jack Gordon (1985-1987) Could've drafted: Brian Leetch (9), Scott Young (11), Tom Fitzgerald (17)
Woodley put up a solid 149 points in 125 games with the WHL's Portland Winter Hawks in the two seasons leading up to his draft. Armed with the seventh overall pick, the Canucks didn't hesitate to grab him.
In 1986-87, Woodley produced a good first professional season with the IHL's Flint Spirits, tallying 66 points in 69 games while also appearing in five NHL contests. However, Pat Quinn replaced Gordon as Canucks GM and quickly traded Woodley to the Canadiens for Jose Charbonneau. Woodley never played another NHL game, instead jumping around the minor leagues until his retirement in 1995.
Only eight players in NHL history have been drafted in the top 10 and played in fewer games than Woodley did. To make matters worse, the Canucks could have selected a future Hall of Famer in Leetch with their seventh selection.
Messages from an Instagram group chat containing inappropriate and misogynistic conversations between Leipsic and his friends were leaked to the public Wednesday. The Capitals deemed the messages "unacceptable and offensive."
Leipsic's brother Jeremy was also in the group chat. He played for the University of Manitoba men's hockey team but was released from the program Friday. Florida Panthers minor-leaguer Jack Rodewald was in the group chat as well.
Leipsic was in the final year of a deal paying him $700,000 annually. He was set to hit restricted free agency after the 2019-20 campaign.
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The NHL and NHLPA announced Friday the postponement of its 2020 international games due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
"The NHLPA and the NHL remain committed to maintaining and growing our international presence," the two sides said in a statement. "We hope that our fans overseas understand the need to postpone the 2020 games, but we look forward to being back with them in 2021."
The Boston Bruins and Nashville Predators were slated to open their 2020-21 campaigns in Prague, Czech Republic while the Colorado Avalanche and Columbus Blue Jackets were scheduled to play a pair of games in Helsinki, Finland later in the fall.
"We are disappointed by the postponement of our trip to Finland, but look forward to having the opportunity to play in front of Finland's passionate hockey fans in the future," said Blue Jackets general manager Jarmo Kekalainen in a statement. Kekalainen is a native of Kuopio, Finland and was the NHL's first European-born general manager.
Boston was also to complete its training camp in Germany and then play Adler Mannheim in an exhibition game. The Predators were going to wrap up their training camp in Switzerland before taking on SC Bern.
The league was also looking to schedule an event in China for the 2020-21 season, though deputy commissioner Bill Daly ruled that as "unlikely" in early March, according to ESPN's Emily Kaplan.
The NHL began its Global Series games in 2017. The 2020 event would have marked the fourth straight year, and ninth time overall, that the league has traveled to Europe to play regular-season games.
The Montreal Canadiens agreed to terms with defenseman Alexander Romanov on a three-year entry-level contract, the team announced Friday.
However, the start of the contract has yet to be determined due to the uncertainty surrounding the NHL season.
The Canadiens are awaiting word on the league's ruling regarding whether new signings can play the rest of the current season, according to TSN's Pierre LeBrun.
If there's a 24-team playoff format, which is reportedly gaining traction, the Eastern Conference's 12th-seeded Canadiens would presumably want Romanov to join the team for the remainder of this campaign.
Romanov, a second-round pick in 2018, suited up for 43 games in each of the last two seasons with CSKA Moscow of the KHL, racking up a combined 11 points.
Pittsburgh Penguins fans are being recognized for their dedication to the team, as Forbes Magazine ranks them the ninth-most passionate fans across the four major North American sports.
The magazine's rankings take into account television ratings, game attendance, merchandise sales, and social media reach. Penguins fans were the highest-ranked among NHL fan bases, and the only hockey-based group to make the top 10 overall.
"Our fans are the greatest," Penguins president and CEO David Morehouse said, according to NHL.com. "We are so grateful for their support, and it's never a surprise to us when they're named the most passionate fans in the NHL. Because they are. We hope everyone is staying safe during this challenging time."
The Penguins currently hold the NHL's longest-ever sellout streak, which began in 2007, according to Yahoo's Andrew Lisa.
"The NHL's only team in the top 10 can thank All-Star Sidney Crosby, whose jersey has been a hot item since his 2005 debut," Forbes wrote. "Two Stanley Cups in the last five years help, as do 12 sellout seasons at PPG Paints Arena."
