The Edmonton Oilers’ Connor McDavid has become the youngest captain in NHL history.
The team announced Wednesday the 19-year-old is the 15th captain in the organization’s history.
“I’m very humbled and honoured,” McDavid said.
The native of Newmarket, Ont., will follow in the footsteps of previous Edmonton captains including Wayne Gretzky and Mark Messier.
McDavid will turn 20 on Jan. 13.
The young phenom, who was the No. 1 overall pick in the 2015 draft, is entering just his second NHL season.
“He’s mature beyond his years, so he’s dealt with all of you since he was 14,” head coach Todd McLellan told reporters Wednesday. “He handles himself very well and takes care of his teammates in front of and with the media, which we think is very important in a Canadian franchise.”
He missed nearly half of his rookie season after suffering a broken collarbone, but still managed to put up 48 points in 45 games.
“When he returned to the lineup last year, he showed he as ready to take charge,” McLellan said.
McLellan said he sees similarities between McDavid and Penguins captain Sidney Crosby, who also was handed the C when he was 19.
“He’s an ambassador of the game,” McLellan said of McDavid. “He understands his role.”
McDavid said back in August that he wanted to “show everyone that I’m not some 18-year-old kid anymore.”
He has captained both the OHL’s Erie Otters and most recently Team North America during last month’s World Cup of Hockey.
Milan Lucic, Jordan Eberle and Ryan Nugent-Hopkins will serve as alternate captains.
The Oilers hope a healthy McDavid and a revamped roster will put an end to their decade-long post-season drought. Edmonton hasn’t qualified for the playoffs since 2006 and were last in the Western Conference last season despite the notable additions of McDavid, McLellan, and Cam Talbot, a No. 1 goaltender who offered rare stability in the crease.
The Oilers made more changes in the off-season, acquiring reliable defenceman Adam Larsson and six-foot-three, 233-pound bruiser Milan Lucic. They also selected Finnish sensation Jesse Puljajarvi with the fourth overall pick at the June draft.
With files from The Canadian Press and Emily Mertz, Global News
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