Sherry Bassin headed to the arena with her dog, Newman, with one goal in mind.
The discussions surrounding Connor McDavid – a young prodigy who was already turning heads in the Toronto metropolitan area – were intense.
Bassin, a long-time executive of the Ontario Hockey League, and his faithful companion must have seen it firsthand.
After two appearances, Newman began to pull on his leash.
“He told me: ‘We have to get out of here, we’ve seen enough,’” Bassin joked earlier this week.
They sat there for three periods to carefully observe this ultra-talented hockey player with a childish face, who amazed the entire gallery. The player from Newmarket, Ontario, had demonstrated well before the siren signaling the end of the game that he had a unique talent.
And it wasn’t just between the referees’ whistles.
“His desire to prepare, his dedication to reaching his full potential, it has always been there,” added Bassin. He did not accept half measures. »
McDavid then became a star player for the Erie Otters in the OHL, after obtaining exceptional player status allowing him to join the circuit at the age of 15. He was then selected by the Edmonton Oilers first overall in the 2015 NHL Entry Draft.
After nine up-and-down seasons, the 27-year-old star player finds himself just four victories away from winning the first Stanley Cup of his career. The final series will get underway Saturday night against the Florida Panthers.
McDavid’s trajectory hasn’t always been linear, especially after arriving in Alberta. His individual successes – five scoring championships, three MVP awards and a long list of honors – weren’t always reflected in those of the team.
And the current season has been no different. The Oilers, who advanced to the Western Conference finals in 2022 and the second round last year, were 3-9-1 in November when Kris Knoblauch was brought in behind the bench.
The Oilers then began their climb in the rankings, quickly moving from 31ste overall ranking to a spot in the playoff race, in part due to an unstoppable 16-game winning streak. The Alberta team finished second in the Pacific Division, before successively eliminating the Los Angeles Kings, the Vancouver Canucks and the Dallas Stars.
McDavid was the instigator of all this.
“It’s been a difficult journey,” agreed the Oilers captain, who leads the playoff scoring rankings with 31 points in 18 games, after scoring the first goal in the game that eliminated the Stars last Sunday. Our team remained united, and we always believed in our chances. »
Despite the poor record at the start of the season, Bassin had the same certainty.
“It was certain that the tide was going to turn – the question was how much,” said the now 84-year-old, who was general manager and co-owner of the Otters. He (McDavid) was not going to tolerate that. There is a difference between liking a sport and loving it.
“He loves this sport,” he continued.
McDavid, who never misses the opportunity to participate in Bassin’s charity golf tournament, and his former general manager are still very close. Bassin sent a message to McDavid after the Oilers advanced to the Stanley Cup final series.
“He answered me in a very charming way,” he confided. He’s part of the family. »