Echoes of Mitch Marner: Connor McDavid's Latest Comments Raising Eyebrows Around NHL

The 2015 NHL Draft Lottery was one of the most anticipated in recent memory. The Maple Leafs had bottomed out that year and carried strong odds for the top pick. Waiting at the top of the board was a local phenom from Richmond Hill, Ontario.

Connor McDavid. He had just put up an astonishing 44 goals and 120 points in 47 games with the Erie Otters. For Leafs Nation, the dream of drafting McDavid felt almost too good to be true. And it was.

On lottery night, the Leafs slipped to fourth overall, settling on Mitch Marner out of London. McDavid, of course, went to Edmonton, giving the Oilers their fourth first-overall selection in just six years. The look on McDavid's face that night made it clear the feeling was mutual, he wasn't thrilled he wouldn't be pulling on a Maple Leafs sweater.

Fast forward nearly a decade. McDavid is in the final season of his eight-year deal with the Oilers. For most of that contract, it was assumed he'd be a lifetime Oiler. But the closer he gets to free agency, the more his tone has shifted. McDavid has spoken about "needing time" and not being in a rush to decide, sparking speculation across the league that he could test the market.

It's a long shot, but not impossible, that Toronto could finally get their homegrown superstar. McDavid wants to win above all else, and that complicates things. The Florida Panthers are the league's standard, but the Maple Leafs were the only team to take them to seven games last spring. That kind of progress doesn't go unnoticed by players who are desperate to lift the Cup.

The odds of McDavid ever wearing blue and white remain slim. Still, as his contract winds down, every word he says will be dissected and debated. Leafs fans can't help but wonder, could this be their second chance at the one that got away?