NHL: Stanley Cup Playoffs-Edmonton Oilers at Vancouver Canucks - Source: Imagn — Connor McDavid discredits Leon Draisaitl's playful 'one sport athlete' jab (Image Source: Imagn)

Connor McDavid discredits Leon Draisaitl's playful 'one sport athlete' jab

Modified Nov 29, 2024 14:46 GMT

Connor McDavid, one of the most talented and successful hockey players in his generation, plays his sport at a level matched by very few. He's great at it, but he may not excel in other areas as much. According to the player, Leon Draisaitl, his longtime teammate, jested that McDavid couldn't play any other sport. McDavid denied the claim.

McDavid said:

"Leo likes to joke that I'm a one-sport athlete. I beat him in tennis a bunch this summer so I've proven him wrong."

Plenty of professional athletes take up other sports in their free time. The athleticism required to do well in one sport can, and often, does lend itself to other sports.

Many take up golf and other leisure sports, but McDavid has apparently been playing a lot of tennis with his teammate. According to him, Draisaitl doesn't have the skills to compete in that venture.

Connor McDavid, Leon Draisaitl reflect on captain's epic milestone

Thanks to an assist from Leon Draisaitl, Connor McDavid became the fourth-fastest player to record 1,000 NHL points in a career a few weeks ago. It was a major moment, one both reflected on.

Connor McDavid has over 1,000 points (Imagn)

Via NHL, the Edmonton Oilers star said that seeing the reaction by his teammates was special:

“Obviously, my teammates were happy and to hear the fans, that stuff means more to me than any of the numbers or anything like that. It was a really special moment, honestly. These milestones are a great time to reflect and a great time to look back. It’s been a great 10 years, and hopefully there are 10 more good ones.”

Draisaitl said it was fitting that he was involved in the assist for McDavid's goal and added that Ryan Nugent-Hopkins could have appropriately been a third assist:

“It is certainly fitting, all three of us kind of came in at the same time year after year, three years in a row and knowing each other for a long time. We’ve become lifelong friends off of the ice and it is a good story.”

The Oilers are now off to an 11-9-2 start after they lost the Stanley Cup Final last season in seven games.