A pair of generational stars took the ice Thursday for their first NHL games. Here are the takeaways on how they fared.
@ESPN_Burnside: Keeping an eye on the trials and tribulations of Connor McDavid and Jack Eichel during their first shifts as NHL players (while in Dallas taking in the Pittsburgh Penguins-Dallas Stars game) was reminiscent of watching Sidney Crosby record an assist in the Penguins' 5-1 loss to the New Jersey Devils in Crosby's NHL debut. The Penguins were miserable that season even as Crosby made good on his potential. That's not to suggest that McDavid's Edmonton Oilers (3-1 losers to the St. Louis Blues) or Eichel's Buffalo Sabres (3-1 losers to the Ottawa Senators) will be as bad as those Penguins, but they might be. Those losses reinforce that no matter how good these two players are, no matter how significant their impact is in the coming months and years, none of this will be easy or happen overnight.
@Real_ESPNLeBrun: It's funny you say that, Scotty. I shook my head Thursday as Eichel talked about dreaming as a kid of playing on the wing on Crosby's line. You forget that Eichel was just 8 years old when Crosby played his first NHL game. Teammate Matt Moulson, who is housing young Eichel in Buffalo, laughed when asked about forgetting how young he is. "He's a big movie guy, and sometimes I throw out movie quotes, but I have to remember the movies were probably made 15 years before he was born. I don't even think he knew 'Something About Mary.'" Well, Eichel was 2 years old when it came out in 1998. What I won't soon forget, however, is being in Buffalo to witness Eichel's first NHL goal, in his first NHL game. It had been a quiet first 40 minutes for Eichel, but the phenom made up for it with a gem of a wrist shot that beat Craig Anderson under the crossbar. Many, many more of those to come.
@CraigCustance: No first goal for McDavid here in St. Louis, but we got to witness his exciting skills. His speed jumped off the ice at times, and his offensive chances increased as the game went on. The Blues might have been the worst possible draw for McDavid, though: a physical, veteran team that has owned the Oilers the past few years. Nothing like seeing David Backes in the faceoff circle to give you a welcome to the NHL. "It's not an easy building to play in for your first game, too," Oilers teammate Ryan Nugent-Hopkins said. "He had a few really good chances where it looks like a couple inches one way or the other, and it's going to go in for him." Perhaps the best line came from McDavid's good friend Robby Fabbri, the impressive Blues rookie who scored the game winner. "I guess I've got some bragging rights," Fabbri said. "We'll see how long that lasts."
@ESPNJoeyMac: Note for all of my Canadian friends: Enough with this McDavid kid. How about giving Eichel a little more credit? I'm kidding, of course. The generational talent of both was on display and, for the record, Eichel was the one who scored (kidding again). Before, during and since the 2015 draft, I've had a friendly debate with my colleagues about which player will have more of an impact during his rookie season. I still believe Eichel will be better this season. He played against men during his freshman season at Boston University and was still the best player at the collegiate level, winning the Hobey Baker Award. It's incredible to watch both teenagers make their NHL debuts. Both should have outstanding careers, but it was good to see Eichel make an immediate impact, and I still believe he will win the Calder Trophy as the league's top rookie this season.
AROUND THE LEAGUE
• It was a strong night in the East, as the Tampa Bay Lightning posted a dramatic 3-2 overtime victory over the Philadelphia Flyers. It was also a strong night for the Senators' Kyle Turris, who posted two goals in that 3-1 win over the Sabres. -- Joe McDonald
• Out West, the Minnesota Wild scored four goals in the third period en route to a 5-4 victory over the Colorado Avalanche. If you were paying attention to our preseason picks, I had the Wild winning the Central. Yes, it's a huge gamble given the teams in that division, but Thursday was a huge win of momentum for Minnesota to start the season. -- Joe McDonald