Edmonton phenom Connor McDavid hurt in win over Flyers

EDMONTON, Alberta - In his first month in the NHL, Edmonton center Connor McDavid has been as good as advertised - not an easy development when you have been called The Next Crosby.

McDavid, the No. 1 overall pick in the June draft, had five goals and 12 points in his first 12 games heading into Tuesday's matchup against the Flyers.

But his charmed start to the season took a nasty turn when he slammed into the boards late in the second period. He left the game after suffering an apparent left shoulder injury. His arm was in a sling.

With Edmonton shorthanded, McDavid raced down the ice on a two-on-two, lost his footing and collided with Flyers defenseman Brandon Manning.

"He kind of had a step on me outside, and I turned and [Michael Del Zotto] came across, and I guess between the two of us, he went into the boards awkwardly and wasn't able to protect himself," Manning said after Edmonton's 4-2 win.

Added Manning: "I kind of tried to push off of him. I don't know if he fell but he was sliding on his [butt] on the way in, so you could tell he couldn't protect himself."

Edmonton coach Todd McLellan said McDavid will be out "long term."

McLellan had a brief conversation with McDavid. "He's disappointed he was injured," McLellan said. "It's his rooie season and things were going very well."

Before Tuesday's devastating injury, Oilers left winger Benoit Pouliot talked glowingly about the rookie.

"I don't think it's much of a surprise," he said Tuesday after the morning skate at Rexall Place. "He came to camp and everybody saw how good he was, how fast he was, and how strong he was. Then the season started and right off the bat he was ready to go."

Even though McDavid, 18, has only been in the league for a month, Pouliot calls him "one of the best players - if not the best player - I've played with."

Strong words, especially when you consider Pouliot was teammates with Steven Stamkos in Tampa Bay, Rick Nash with the Rangers, and Patrice Bergeron in Boston, among others.

"He's got his own thing going on," said Pouliot, a 10-year veteran who plays on the second line with the 6-foot-1, 190-pound McDavid and right winger Nail Yakupov. "His hands are so quick with his feet that it's fun to watch."

McDavid rolled his eyes and shook his head when a reporter, half-kiddingly, asked if the league was "easy" for him.

"It's been an up-and-down kind of month," he said, referring to the Oilers' 4-8 start and the fact that he had a minus-3 rating entering Tuesday.

McDavid tore up the Ontario League during the previous three seasons, collecting a ridiculous 97 goals and 285 points in 166 games for the Erie Otters.

"You have to play a little bit of a different game," he said of his transition into the NHL. "You have to be available for pucks from your teammates . . . [Opponents] are bigger, stronger, faster - and they're never really out of position and never make mistakes."