PENTICTON — Edmonton Oilers prospect Connor McDavid is the biggest name to ever come to Penticton for the Young Stars tournament, attracting a sold-out crowd. But the humble 18-year-old isn’t taking credit for the tremendous ticket sales.
“I don’t think it has anything to do with that. There’s a lot of great players here,” says McDavid.
But Penticton’s mayor and tournament organizer, Andrew Jakubeit, says the Oilers prospect is bringing an energy never seen in the event’s five-year history.
“We’ve had some number one draft picks before, but I think Connor McDavid brings another level of enthusiasm,” says Jakubeit.
Like all major NHL stars, a crowd of fans lines up to catch a close-up glimpse of McDavid and get an autograph.
“It’s the best day of my life,” says Caleb Syvanky, 7, who skipped school on Friday to watch the Oilers prospects practice before the game.
Oilers fans have high hopes for the young hockey star, who they’ve dubbed “McJesus.”
“He’s big throughout Canada, really. He’ll hopefully resurrect hockey in some of the places that haven’t prospered in the past few years,” says Max Kotowich, who traveled from Edmonton to attend this weekend’s games.
This tournament showcases the rookies and prospects from the Canucks, Flames, Jets and Oilers, who hope to one day crack the line up for the big clubs.
To see the full schedule of the games, click here.
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