|
|||
|
|||
|
 |
|
|
NHL DRAFTJune 26, 2015Connor McDavidSUNRISE, FLORIDA THE MODERATOR: Congratulations. You knew this was coming. Is it anticlimactic or was it as cool as you thought it would be. CONNOR MCDAVID: I think it was even better than I was expecting. I didn't know exactly how I was going to feel. I wasn't too nervous, I wasn't too‑‑ I was just anxious. It was just so exciting to hear your name called and go through all that. It was unbelievable. Q. Did it feel like you were waiting a while there? CONNOR MCDAVID: I waited a little bit longer, and they had to introduce everyone and all the teams and the role call, and it just felt like it was going by so slowly, and all I wanted to do was just have that pick called, and it was absolutely a dream come true. Q. Have you even thought about any potential linemates? I know it's way far ahead but have you thought about that at all? CONNOR MCDAVID: I got picked about two minutes ago, so a lot has been going through my mind, and that isn't necessarily one of them. It's just a great feeling to be picked. Whatever happens happens, and whoever I'm playing with, if I even do play, it's a long way to go to make the team, and if I do, then there's a lot of great players there. Q. Just a few words about your decision to play in the OHL and what the Erie Otters have meant to your development. CONNOR MCDAVID: It means a lot. I mean, the OHL was a huge stepping‑stone, and they're the best years of my life so far. They are what's led me to this point. They mean everything to me. David Brand, Sherry Bassin and all the guys in Erie, all the teammates, coaches. Dylan Stome`s got picked third overall, and it's good to see a couple Otters boys go two in the top three, I think that's unbelievable. Q. What did you think when you saw 97 on the jersey? Usually it's the year, no one has ever worn 97 with the Oilers. CONNOR MCDAVID: It's very special. It means a lot for them to do that. To see 97 when I flipped that jersey around was special. It was such a great experience. Q. Since the Oilers won the lottery, they've made a lot of changes, general manager, head coach. Have you been following along with that and what do you think of the new look Oilers right now? CONNOR MCDAVID: It's exciting, of course. I mean, not to say any of the other guys did a bad job or anything. I think it's just a great change, and I mean, Mr. McClellan and Mr.Chiarelli are obviously great hockey minds and obviously Mr.Nicholson coming in has done such a great job. It's an exciting time to be an Oiler and I know the fans are excited, and they should be. I think it'll be a great time. Q. When that lottery pick did happen, a lot of people seemed to think that you might not have been happy to see the Oilers get that No.1 overall. Now that you've gone through this whole process and you'll be going to Edmonton, is it all sinking in? CONNOR MCDAVID: Yeah, I think that was all kind of just unfortunate, I guess. Someone took my picture at a bad time, I guess. They got my bad side, I guess. But it was nothing like I was upset or anything like that. It was never that, never, ever. It was just shock. You just kind of found out what might lie ahead for you. It was a big announcement obviously and I was just more in shock than anything else. Now that it's finally happened and I'm an Edmonton Oiler, I couldn't be more proud. Q. It's been 69 days since the lottery. Does it seem like that or is it double that time? How has it felt? CONNOR MCDAVID: Those were the longest 69 days of my life, I think. I've been so busy, happened in the middle of the Playoffs, and finished up the Playoffs, and in that time I've done a lot of things and traveled all over the place and managed to graduate high school all at the same time. I've been busy, and it's a good time to just enjoy this. Q. How did you spend today? Biggest day of your life, what do you do while you're waiting all day long? CONNOR MCDAVID: Yeah, had breakfast with my family, and the NHL puts on a great breakfast for draft eligible prospects, and there was a bunch of us there and had breakfast with some of the guys, but mainly my parents. Sat and had a coffee outside looking at the beach and then had a workout and then did some jet skiing with the family, as well, even though it was a little bit stormy out there. It was not the safest thing to do, but had a lot of fun. I had a little bit of downtime to myself and just got ready, and I'm here. It's been a great day. Q. Now that all this is over, what's your focus as far as your workouts for the summer? You said obviously you want to play in the NHL next year. What's your focus going to be to get yourself skills‑wise, physical‑wise, strength‑wise to that point? CONNOR MCDAVID: You've got to get a lot bigger and stronger and faster and all that. You're playing against men now, and it's a big challenge. Big summer ahead of me for sure. Q. There's been some amazing expectations placed on you coming out of this draft. Are you intimidated at all about what people expect from you as a pro? CONNOR MCDAVID: No, I think my expectations of myself exceed any of those that are put on me. It's something that I can't really worry about. I mean, I've just got to worry about making sure that I'm playing my game and doing all that so that if I'm meeting my expectations, chances are I'll meet your guys', as well. Q. What excites you most about coming to Edmonton? CONNOR MCDAVID: I think just the change and the excitement of the fans and the long list of great players that have played there. There's so much to be excited about to be an Edmonton Oiler. I'm just thrilled. Q. I know you play in the eastern time zone so it's tough with the late starts for Edmonton, but have you watched the Oilers much and get a chance to see Taylor Hall, and what have you thought of the team as a fan before all of this happened? CONNOR MCDAVID: I was a big fan of those guys when they were drafted and followed them a little bit. So of course I watched the Oilers play a little bit here and there whenever I can. I try and get to bed a little bit earlier than that, but yeah, I mean, I was an Oiler fan for sure. Q. Have you thought about living arrangements and stuff in Edmonton yet? CONNOR MCDAVID: No. Like I said, I was just drafted about five minutes ago. Q. There was a rumor you might end up bunking with Ryan Smith? CONNOR MCDAVID: That would be really cool. I mean, I don't know. FastScripts Transcript by ASAP Sports |
|
||||||||||||||||||||
|
||||||||||||||||||||||||
|
About ASAP Sports •
FastScripts Archive •
Recent Interviews •
Captioning •
Upcoming Events •
Contact Us
FastScripts | Events Covered | Our Clients | Other Services | ASAP in the News | Site Map | Job Opportunities | Links |
|
ASAP Sports, Inc. | T: 1.212 385 0297
|