Kukla's Korner Hockey

Kukla's Korner Hockey

Looking forward to McDavid vs. Crosby on Tuesday night

11/07/2016 at 3:54pm EST

From NHL.com's Nicholas J. Cotsonika:

The way he plays, the way he handles himself, the way he elevates the Edmonton Oilers, it's easy to forget that Connor McDavid is 19 years old. He has played 58 NHL games, because he missed three months because of a broken clavicle as a rookie last season. As good as he is, one of the top players in the NHL already, he's still experiencing new things, still learning, still growing.

McDavid will play against Sidney Crosby for the first time when the Oilers visit the Pittsburgh Penguins on Tuesday (7 p.m. ET; ROOT, SNW, NHL.TV). It's No. 97 vs. No. 87, the Next One vs. Sid the Kid, the No. 1 pick of the 2015 NHL Draft vs. the No. 1 pick of the 2005 NHL Draft. And McDavid talks about it like, well, a teenager. He doesn't call him Mr. Crosby, like he did the first time he met him three years ago, according to USA Today, but makes him sound like an old man at age 29.

"It's exciting for me," McDavid said. "He's someone I grew up idolizing, and for me it's going to be pretty cool."

McDavid said he continues to follow Crosby most nights he plays.

"He's the best player in the world, and if you can take anything from his game, obviously that'll help," McDavid said. "Definitely don't pattern yourself after him or anything like that, but you try and learn from things that gave him success."

Continued

added 4:28 PM: Here's the other side, from NHL.com's Wes Crosby:

Sidney Crosby met a then 16-year-old Connor McDavid on Feb. 10, 2013.

More than three years later, Crosby and McDavid will meet again, this time on the ice at PPG Paints Arena, where the Pittsburgh Penguins will face the Edmonton Oilers on Tuesday (7 p.m. ET; ROOT, SNW, NHL.TV).

Even without a previous matchup, Crosby is well-versed on McDavid's accomplishments through his first 58 NHL games. After a lengthy wait, Crosby said he understands the hype surrounding his first game against McDavid.

"I think once you get out there, I think that's the best part," Crosby said. "I think the competitive side kind of takes over. There's matchups every night like that. I mean, some aren't talked about as much as others, but there's some that, personally, you feel like are a bit more of a matchup than people think, just because of history or what you expect against certain guys.

"I think that competition is why you play. It's what you love about the game. But I mean, some are talked about more than others and obviously, [Tuesday] will be one that's talked about a little bit more. But at the end of the day you're going out there trying to get two points. They all mean the same, but you definitely understand the situation."

Continued

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Paul Kukla founded Kukla’s Korner in 2005 and the site has since become the must-read site on the ‘net for all the latest happenings around the NHL.

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