Mike Johnson ridicules Florida columnist's hot take on Connor McDavid - "Prepostorous, outrageous"

By Srihari Anand

Modified Jun 05, 2024 11:40 GMT

Florida columnist Greg Cote called Connor McDavid overrated for his lack of championship success, having yet to win the coveted Stanley Cup. Cote criticized the Edmonton Oilers star for being considered a generational talent, stating his on-ice achievements are simply stats-based and not backed by a championship win since being drafted in 2019.

Ex-NHLer and current TSN analyst Mike Johnson came in Connor McDavid's defense, and weighed in on Cote's hot take on the Oilers captain. Johnson scoffed at Cote's take on McDavid being an attempt to mislead readers, increase engagement, and to appease the Florida fans before the Stanley Cup Final.

Johnson ridiculed Greg Cote for calling Connor McDavid overrated, and foretold the columnist will regret his article in the near future.

He stated:

" ... This is prepsotorous, outrageous, ridiculous and just flat-out wrong. ... if you're a hockey writer, at some point you're going to look back on this article and this headline and say, 'Hmm, that was not my finest journalistic moment,' because this is just ridiculous and wrong."

Johnson took a sly dig at Cote's hockey knowledge, or lack thereof, and opined NHL stars such as McDavid, cannot win the Stanley Cup single-handedly. He said:

"If you know anything about hockey, and I'm assuming Greg might, you'll know that one player, no matter how great he is, cannot get it done and win a Stanley Cup on his own. Not McDavid, not anybody."

Connor McDavid is one of the most offensively skilled players in the NHL since being drafted by the Edmonton Oilers in 2015. In nine seasons, the 27-year-old has won the Hart Trophy three time as league MVP and the Art Ross Trophy, five times, as the league leader in points scored during the regular season.

Mike Johnson lauded McDavid, and said:

"But McDavid clearly is the greatest player in the game, he is generational. He is one of the best offensive players in the history of the game already. He has proven that beyond any shadow of a doubt."

"McOverrated": Greg Cote criticizes Connor McDavid's lack of Stanley Cup succcess

In his column, Greg Cote questioned Connor McDavid being a generational talent, given the Oilers star is yet to win a Stanley Cup in his nine-year NHL career.

Cote wrote:

"Connor McDavid is overrated. Boom. He puts up big, impressive stats, yes. Fine. But should he really be called “generational,” called the best player in the sport, when in nine seasons he has yet to lead his team to a Stanley Cup?"

Cote reminisced the Oilers era of Wayne Gretzky, when he was playing for the Edmonton Oilers. Cote credited the Great One, who was instrumental in helping the Edmonton Oilers win multiple Stanley Cup in the mid 1980s.

Cote wrote:

Edmonton truly had one of those players, once. His name was Wayne Gretzky. He’s why the Oilers bunched five Stanley Cup wins in 1984-90. McDavid? No Gretzky.

Cote ended his fiery take on the Oilers captain, by setting a new nickname for the Oilers captain. He wrote:

"He has the requisite nicknames -- McJesus, The Chosen One -- but he has not proved beyond-stats transcendant, able to lift a franchise to ultimate heights. McOverrated."