from John Saraceno of USA TODAY,

The hockey gods have bestowed upon Connor McDavid the sport's daunting "Next Big Thing" label, whether the 16-year-old desires such heavenly recognition or not.

While the sensational Ontario Hockey League 10th-grader is not eligible for the NHL Entry Draft until 2015, the kid with the dimples and mop of light-brown hair has the cognoscenti drooling over an on-ice portfolio that includes skating wizardry, deft passing and a keen eye for the game's finer offensive points.

McDavid's slick skills include what scouts call good old-fashioned "hockey sense" — or when "Wayne Gretzky said the game would slow down for him so he could (anticipate) and see a couple steps ahead," says the teen phenom. "It comes naturally to some people."

And, of course, there are the inevitable comparisons. In this instance, "The Kid" met "El Sid."

"He reminds me of me," the Pittsburgh Penguins' Sidney Crosby tells USA TODAY Sports.

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