The Edmonton Oilers have their backs against the wall in the Stanley Cup final as they are now down 3-2 in the series after dropping Game 5 at home. The Oilers miraculously came back from down 3-0 on the road in Game 4 to even up the series before it shifted back to Edmonton, but they weren't very competitive in front of their own fans. The Panthers won 5-2, and the Oilers now need two straight to win the cup. They will need their star, Connor McDavid, to be superb.
Connor McDavid is one of the best players in the NHL, but he hasn't won a Stanley Cup yet. He is trying to accomplish that goal for the second straight season, but the Florida Panthers might get in the way again. No matter what, however, McDavid is one of the best to ever lace up the skates in the NHL, and former Panther Jaromir Jagr knows that.
“I respect the game he plays,” Jaromir Jagr said, according to an article from SportsNet. “It’s fun to watch. The way he plays, he sometimes makes very good players look silly. And it’s special. I always admire people who are greater than the rest of ’em. I believe in God. [Jagr points to the cross on his T-shirt.] So, I can see the God in him. It’s something that’s great. I always appreciate it. Because it’s got to be something more than the rest of us.”
Like most people that watch McDavid play, Jagr just notices something that is different about him. He's one of those athletes that is unlike everybody else.
“Some higher energy. Something,” he continued. “You just gotta have something extra to be dominating on that level. You gotta have something special. Like, when you look at basketball, you get [Michael] Jordan. You got to be different. And to be that different, it’s special. That’s the way I see it. I can appreciate the greatness of the people. [Wayne] Gretzky was different. Mario Lemieux was different.”
Jagr is also a phenomenal hockey player, but the two of them are different. Jagr credits his strength for making him so tough to go up against.
Article Continues Below“I was kind of strong. I was built. I was born on a farm,” Jagr added. “You know, my dad made me do 1,000 squats every day for 10 years before I went to the NHL. So, I always thought: I’m the strongest on the ice, no matter who plays against me. I always thought that. And that’s what I build on. It was my core, and I wanted to keep it.”
Connor McDavid recently shared his thoughts on Jagr as well. Jagr had high praise for McDavid, and McDavid had high praise for him.
“Gotten a chance to meet him a couple of times now,” McDavid said. “Obviously, a legend of the game. One of the greatest to ever do it. Cool to spend some time with him.”
The only thing that Connor McDavid is missing is a Stanley Cup. He will look to keep this year's chances alive on Tuesday when Game 3 rolls around. The Oilers and Panthers will get underway at 8:00 ET from Amerant Bank Stadium in Sunrise, FL, and the game will be airing on TNT, TruTV and Max.