By Gavin Lindahl
Sports Assignment Editor
In wake of world-class prospect and Ontario Hockey League (OHL) leading scorer Connor McDavid injuring his hand Tuesday night after a scrap with Mississauga Steelheads forward Bryson Cianfrone, the hockey world immediately blew up.
Soon after McDavid went off, hockey writers and fans alike began pondering the implications of McDavid’s injury on his draft stock and why fighting in hockey should be banned in the first place. However, McDavid’s injury implies nothing – other than the fact that he won’t be bullied.
McDavid, who is vastly outpacing his peers in the CHL, has already recorded 51 points (16 goals, 35 assists) in a mere 18 games this season. It’s been suggested since last season that McDavid may surpass Pittsburgh Penguins center Sidney Crosby, who is arguably the best player in the game today, and the stats don’t lie.
In the first seventeen games of their draft-eligible seasons, McDavid was ahead of Crosby by three goals, eight assists and has a 22 point lead in plus/minus. McDavid has been dropping jaws, implying something as typical as a hand injury is going to stifle his march to the big league is foolish.
As far as fighting goes, many have criticized McDavid for putting himself in such a vulnerable position at this point in his career. His injury has been listed as a fractured hand, and he is expected to miss five to six weeks. With the World Junior tournament around the corner, team Canada will surely miss McDavid if he hasn’t returned yet, prompting some to call McDavid selfish.
At the same time, hockey fans and writers in the anti-fighting camp have used this to further their argument that fighting has no place in hockey. Many people of this thought claim that fighting cheapens hockey, and it removes the stars – which should be the sport’s main selling point – from the ice and onto the injured reserve.
However, what these people are failing to see is that McDavid’s fight is something that should reassure us. With McDavid’s top-end skillset, many of his peers are being embarrassed by him. Slashing, head-hunting, slew-footing and all sorts of other harassments come with McDavid’s territory. The fact that McDavid is willing to stick up for himself is something that impresses me.
The harassment will never stop for McDavid; it will only get worse. Players like McDavid and Crosby will always have a target on their back. In a sport where big bodies with razors on their feet and clubs in their hand are trying to throw you to a solid floor at high speeds, you can’t afford not to defend yourself. McDavid proved that he is willing to go toe-to-toe with his enemies.
So while injuries are never something we want to see, a hand is probably not going to slow McDavid’s dekes and snipes. There’s plenty of other injures (e.g. concussions and spinal issues) that should set off the panic bell, but this isn’t one them. There’s still no doubt in my mind that McDavid will go first this summer, and that he will shock us all come next October.
lindahg12@bonaventure.edu
