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Connor McDavid, Erie Otters are talented but dealing with turnover: OHL Burning Questions

Connor McDavid could have a new assortment of linemates (Terry Wilson, OHL Images) 
Connor McDavid could have a new assortment of linemates (Terry Wilson, OHL Images)

Starting from the top of last season's standings, it is time for OHL Burning Questions. For your consideration, the Erie Otters.

Last season went like — The Otters emerged out of the OHL wilderness and morphed into a seeming goal-scoring machine with three of the loop's top four scorers, including that McDavid fellow with 99 in 56. All along, though, the goaltending and defence seemed like a pair of Achilles heels; Guelph verified those assumptions in the third round with a five-game win.

2013-14, by the numbers — 52-14-2-0, .779 point pct., 310 GF/170 GA. Third playoff seed, Western Conference. Lost 4-1 to Guelph in conference final.

On the junior-or-pro bubble — Whither Andre Burakovsky? It seems unlikely, as Victor Fernandes pointed out, that the Washington Capitals would place a 19-year-old with high-end potential in the AHL, as is their wont since the 87-point scorer was drafted out of Sweden.

Drafted — Burakovsky (Washington Capitals, first round), C Kyle Pettit (Vancouver Canucks, sixth)..

2015 NHL Draft watch — C Connor McDavid, obviously, but C-LW Dylan Strome has first-round buzz and D Travis Dermott is on some watch lists. One might as well mention 2016-eligible Alex DeBrincat; the former Boston University recruit had a four-goal effort in the preseason. Plus he was born the same day that comedian Chris Farley left us (Dec. 18, 1997). No I don't feel old, either.


1. How will — or how well — will they replace all the graduated scoring?

McDavid has that Pied-Piper presence and the Otters have reinforcements at the ready with the aforementioned Strome (the No. 2 overall pick in 2013) and DeBrincat, along with a potential veteran finisher in Nick Betz, who's done the worker-bee deal for most of his OHL tenure. Pettit, who is coming off knee surgery (as is another returnee, Travis Wood), should be a good complement to the McDavid-Strome 1-2 punch as a two-way centre.

There is a lot to be excited about beyond No. 97, who is excitement personified. (Does it even need be said?) With that being said, counting the pending graduates such as Burakovsky, Erie has said arrivederci to a group that scored about two-thirds of its 310 goals in 2013-14. That sort of production is not replaced overnight, even when a team has a honest-to-goodness playmaking genius. It can be replaced over time.

2. Is it fair to concern-troll the defence and goaltending?

To paraphrase the Simpsons-ized Darryl Strawberry, "Well, these exhibition games aren't televised so we can't offer a detailed analysis, but yes." Logically speaking, one shouldn't make too much out of preseason games that tend to be scrambly. One would hope for the Otters' sake those 7-6 and 8-6 scorelines weren't a portent. It bears noting, though, that coach Kris Knoblauch and first-time OHL assistant coach Jay McKee come into the year with a "young group" whose elder, Cory Genovese, played wing on the deeper '14 squad. Dermott and Darren Raddysh also have make a leap forward entering their 18-year-old seasons.

It's a bit wrongheaded to bet against young players' potential, but please be aware Erie could have an adjustment phase in its own zone. Devin Williams, who was strong through the first two rounds of the playoffs, is back as the 19-year-old No. 1 goalie.

3. Last but not least, what is the over/under on points for McDavid?

Seems like we try each fall, more in the manner of a blindfolded person throwing darts than in any Jimmy the Greek-meets-Nate Silver algorithm-based, to figure out what Newmarket's and northern Pennsylvania's favourite stats producer will put up. McDavid simply overwhelmed Czech and Russian checkers for entire shifts during Hockey Canada's summer exhibition series last month in the Montreal area, which lends itself to imagining what he can do against league competition.

The 17-year-old centre posted 66 points across 63 games in 2012-13 and, as mentioned, 99 in 56 last winter when he also competed for Team Canada. McDavid will likely, barring injury, play in the range of 55-58 games depending on how much of a toll playing top-three minutes for Canada at the world junior exacts from him. So let's set the line at 115-120 points, or just more than two per game. He is that good.

Neate Sager is a writer for Yahoo! Canada Sports. Follow him on Twitter @neatebuzzthenet.