He still has yet to play an NHL game, but right now Connor McDavid's name, number and likeness are, as they say in business, moving product.
Make no mistake, the Edmonton Oilers and the NHL are taking full advantage of McDavidmania for as long as it lasts, which, barring injury to the supremely talented 18-year-old center, should be for a long time to come. While the NHL will not make public the list of best-selling player jerseys for 2015 until after the year, McDavid's No. 97 already is listed as one of the "top sellers" on the NHL's shopping website.
Only two players—Jonathan Toews and Henrik Lundqvist—are listed above McDavid on the vertical rows of top sellers on the site. Considering McDavid's jersey has only been available since late June, that's impressive. Patrick Kane's No. 88 was the best-selling jersey on NHL.com's site in 2014, and Sidney Crosby's 87 the year before that.
An informal sampling of Edmonton-area sports apparel stores by Bleacher Report made clear that McDavid jerseys have been tough to keep in stock.
"We've definite ...
Read Full Article at Bleacher Report - NHL
Article written by Adrian Dater