ST. CATHARINES, Ont. — Connor McDavid gets a handful of text messages each month from agent Bobby Orr. The legendary defenceman’s advice is pretty straightforward.
"He tells me to sleep more," McDavid said. "That’s probably the main thing. He tells me probably two, three times a month to make sure I’m sleeping more."
McDavid first met Orr as a 12- or 13-year-old and has gotten used to him being his agent. Next month, he’ll have Orr as his coach at the CHL/NHL Top Prospects game. The 17-year-old Erie Otters star will be part of Team Orr in the game against Team Cherry, coached by popular television personality Don Cherry.
"It’s going to be pretty funny," McDavid said of Orr coaching him. "He’s obviously been very good to me and to have him behind the bench is going to be pretty special."
McDavid is the biggest name of the 40 2015 draft-eligible players from the Quebec Major Junior Hockey League, Ontario Hockey League and Western Hockey League who will take part in the game Jan. 22 at Meridian Centre in St. Catharines, home of the Niagara IceDogs. But he’s already the projected No. 1 pick.
Sportsnet’s Doug MacLean (Team Orr) and Nick Kypreos (Team Cherry) will also be on hand as assistant coaches.
For many of the other players, it’s a chance to impress scouts and improve draft stock.
"Obviously as a hockey player you want to get drafted as high as you can," said Lawson Crouse, who along with McDavid is at Meridian Centre for Canada’s world junior camp. "But you’re going to do whatever it takes, and if you don’t go as high as you want it’s not the end of the world. You’ve just got to keep working."
Joining McDavid and Crouse on Team Orr is Pavel Zacha of the Sarnia Sting, the top pick in the CHL Import Draft. One of McDavid’s Erie teammates, Dylan Strome, is on Team Cherry.
"Players in this game are pretty special," McDavid said. "Everyone got here because of the way they play in their league games."
Niagara’s Marty Williamson will coach with Orr and get a break from game-planning against McDavid.
"It’s no fun in Erie when we’ve got to see him six times," Williamson said. "For anyone that gets to play with a Connor McDavid in these kind of games, what a treat that is."
Below is the full roster for both teams:
