The Edmonton Oilers superstar caused a stir in his hometown of Newmarket, Ontario in Canada when he and teammate Leon Draisaitl showed up as perhaps the most accomplished ringers to play in a beer league hockey game with non-professionals. Even more stunning: They then lost the game.
Both players were wearing Oilers practice jerseys, according to videos on social media in the aftermath of their appearance, but TSN reported neither McDavid nor Draisaitl scored a goal in a 6-2 loss. Footage that surfaced included a semi-breakaway featuring McDavid getting stonewalled by a goalie.
The experience was nonetheless a thrill for all those who happened to be there as the two players who led the NHL in points during this year’s Stanley Cup playoffs took the ice for a summer league game.
‘Honestly, it’s incredible to see them coming down the ice. It’s nothing like you’ve ever seen,’ one of the refs in the game told BarDown, a hockey and sports culture website owned by TSN.
The Oilers are coming off a second consecutive Stanley Cup Finals loss to the Florida Panthers, but they are awaiting word from McDavid about a new contract. The 28-year-old center and former No. 1 pick in the 2015 NHL Draft is entering the final season of an 8-year, $100-million deal and is eligible to sign a new extension this offseason.
The USA TODAY app gets you to the heart of the news — fast.Download for award-winning coverage, crosswords, audio storytelling, the eNewspaper and more.