McDavid comes up big in last OHL game in GTA

MISSISSAUGA – Connor McDavid knew the question was coming. Still, he couldn’t help but smile at the thought of the potential – no matter how long the odds – at being drafted by the Toronto Maple Leafs.

“You day dream a little bit,” said McDavid following Erie’s 4-0 win over Mississauga Monday. “I try not to do too much of that, of course.”

The Newmarket, Ontario native grew up a Maple Leafs fan. During the world hockey championships he fondly recalled for the media attending his first game at the Air Canada Centre with his dad – a 4-1 win over the New York Rangers.

He follows the standings and knows the Leafs struggles on the ice have given the team an 8.5% chance at winning the draft lottery.

“The Leafs are not playing very well right now and if I was fortunate enough to go there it would be a tremendous honour, said McDavid, who had a goal and a pair of assists and was named the first star in the Otters victory.

McDavid’s appearance in Mississauga – his last Ontario Hockey League game in the GTA – drew a sellout holiday Monday Family Day crowd of 5,610 at the Hershey Centre.

Since Christmas the Steelheads have been averaging 3,300 a game. McDavid’s presence helped to boost that number to a crowd not seen in Mississauga before, even passing attendance figures from the 2011 Memorial Cup.

His goal helped him set a franchise record for consecutive games with a point at 19 first set by Tim Connolly in 1997-98.

“It’s nice, or course, and it’s important to me but by the end of the day it really doesn’t matter,” said McDavid, who has 44 points during the streak. “The main success here today is that we won.”

The goal had the crowd buzzing. Remi Ellie made a cross ice pass to McDavid, who took it off his right skate, put it on his stick in a blink of an eye, before skating past defenceman Stefan Leblanc then stickhandling by goalie Jake Brennan for the goal.  

“I think the league record is 25 so I’m sure it’ll be around there pretty soon,” said teammate and potential first round pick Dylan Strome.

It was a chaotic homecoming of sorts for McDavid who was named the game’s first star. When the Otters bus arrived a few hours ahead of game time, countless autograph seekers were on hand.

After spending time talking to the media after the game, it took McDavid nearly an hour to wade through the crowd of fans to meet up with his family. He signed countless autographs and took photographs along the way.

To help ease the McDavid mania, the Otters have hired a retired police officer to help with security on the road.

“You kind of get used to it,” the 18 year-old McDavid said of all the hype and attention that he is encountering these days. “A game in Mississauga is nowhere as crazy as winning a gold medal in Toronto. After that world juniors, it’s not too bad. It’s fun.”