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 with their own eyes.
After two presences, Newman began to pull on his leash.
“He was telling me, ‘We have to get out of here, we’ve seen enough,’” Bassin joked earlier this week.
They sat there for three periods, watching intently as this ultra-talented, boyish-faced hockey player wowed the entire audience. The Newmarket, Ontario, native had demonstrated long before the final whistle 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’s always been there,” added Bassin. He did not accept half measures. »
After nine up-and-down seasons, the 27-year-old star player finds himself just four wins 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 – were not 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 standings, quickly moving from 31st overall to a spot in the playoff race, thanks in part 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 originator of all this.
“It’s been a tough journey,” agreed the Oilers captain, who leads the playoff scoring charts 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.
“He loves the sport,” he continued.
McDavid, who never misses the opportunity to participate in the Bassin 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 said. He’s part of the family. »