Hockey fans were thrilled to see the Toronto Maple Leafs superstar Auston Matthews and the Edmonton Oilers' Connor McDavid practicing together in Germany this week.
The duo, who were selected first overall in the 2015 and 2016 NHL drafts, respectively, were spotted suiting up with the local Red Bull DEL team.
Seeing the two young stars on the ice together fueled speculation among NHL fans. One fan tweeted,
"Getting ready to play together in 2 years." implying that Matthews and McDavid could end up teammates on the same NHL team when their contracts expire.
Other fans were simply excited to see the two best players of their generation training together overseas. As one fan put it,
"I am LOVING this! Anything they can pick up from each other makes them both so much more dangerous."
Here are some fan reactions:
"Not practicing backchecking that’s for sure." one fan wrote on X.
"I’m genuinely curious how just these two came together and decided to visit Münich at the end of August, right before training camp is about to begin," another fan wrote.
"Maybe Matthews will get tips from Connor on how to perform in the playoffs!!" a user commented.
"This is how you enter the zone in the third round of playoffs" another user commented.
The offseason has been eventful for both players, with McDavid tying the knot and Matthews being named captain of the Leafs.
NHL analyst on Connor McDavid's 150-point season
NHL analyst Frankie Corrado shared his thoughts on Connor McDavid's chances of reaching 150 points in the upcoming NHL season during TSN's "Hot or Not" segment.
Despite acknowledging McDavid's immense talent,
"I'm going to say not, and I don't know if this is an unpopular opinion, but the year that Connor McDavid eclipsed 150 points, he also had 64 goals," Corrado explained. "I don't envision another season like that for Connor McDavid where he scores 60-plus goals."
McDavid's career-best season came in 2022–23, when he tallied 153 points on 64 goals and 89 assists.
However, Corrado points out,
"It's not about individual accolades. It's not about 150 points. It's about winning a Stanley Cup. And maybe his game will reflect that a little bit more."
Last season, McDavid finished with 132 points (32 goals, 100 assists) in 76 games played.