Connor McDavid praises Stuart Skinner - "hard to find a better rookie than him"

Connor McDavid, the Edmonton Oilers captain, has been effusive in his praise for Stuart Skinner's performance this season. Speaking about Skinner, McDavid said,

"I'm not sure where we'd be without him. I think it would be hard to find a rookie who's had a better year than Stuart Skinner."

Skinner's remarkable first full season has not only helped lead the Oilers to a playoff spot, but he has also surpassed the franchise record for wins by a rookie goaltender set by Grant Fuhr over four decades ago.

With a 29-14-5 record, a 2.75 goals-against average, and a .914 save percentage, Skinner's statistics are nothing short of exceptional.

Skinner's success has been especially meaningful in Edmonton, where the team has been searching for a long-term solution at goal.

Many analysts have touted him as a potential Calder Trophy winner, an award given to the league's top rookie each season. The last goaltender to win the award was Steve Mason in the 2008-09 season.

Skinner's emergence as a potential Calder Trophy winner is proof of his exceptional play this season. He has been a game changer for the Oilers as the team moves into the playoffs.

The expectations when Connor McDavid was drafted

When the Edmonton Oilers selected Connor McDavid with the first overall pick in the 2015 NHL Draft, expectations were sky-high.

Not since Sidney Crosby was drafted in 2005 had there been a prospect so highly regarded. McDavid was considered a generational talent, and his exceptional abilities on the ice had already garnered him a great deal of attention.

Connor McDavid had been labeled an exceptional player by Hockey Canada in 2012, which allowed him to enter the Ontario Hockey League draft at 15, a year earlier than most.

He quickly made a name for himself in the OHL. He won the Rookie of the Year award in 2013. His speed, vision, and hockey sense were unparalleled. He had already represented Canada at the World Junior Championship as a 16-year-old, following in Crosby's footsteps.

When the Oilers selected Connor McDavid, they knew they were getting a player who could change the course of their franchise.

Despite not making the playoffs since 2006, McDavid's arrival gave the team and its fans a renewed sense of hope. He was expected to be a cornerstone of the team's rebuild and to bring the Oilers back to playoff contention.

However, McDavid was well aware of the high expectations placed upon him, and he refused to let them get to him. In an interview after being drafted, he said,

"My expectations on myself exceed any of those put on me."

He knew that the only way to live up to those expectations was to focus on his own game and not worry about what others expected of him.