McDavid admits he is "an awkward kind of guy" in sit-down interview

He may be the best hockey player in the world, but Connor McDavid has never seemed all that comfortable being on camera.

The Edmonton Oilers forward doesn’t seem to like speaking about himself very much and doesn’t tend to show a ton of personality when talking to the media. It has had some in the past question what type of leader he could be in the dressing room, and thanks to a recent interview conducted by his brother, Cam, we have an answer.

“I’ve always tried to lead by example first and foremost,” McDavid said. “I’m still on the quieter side. I’m an awkward kind of guy. But honestly, the dressing room has become a very comfortable place for me now and If I’ve got to be that guy to yell, or pick somebody up, I feel very comfortable in those situations.”

It makes sense to hear that McDavid has become more comfortable in the role, given that he has been the Oilers’ captain for seven seasons. When he was first named captain in October of 2016, he became the youngest ever to receive that honour in the NHL at just 19 years, 266 days old.

As he has learned more in his role, he better understands what it takes to be a good leader, and was happy to share that with his brother.

“My advice for young leaders would be just to be yourself,” McDavid said. “Nobody wants to feel like their leader is acting or fake or phony in any way. I think being yourself and leaning into some of the harder conversations. That’s the only way that things are going to get better.”

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As McDavid’s leadership has improved, so has his on-ice play. The 26-year-old is coming off one of the best regular seasons in NHL history, scoring 64 goals and 153 points in 82 games. He is well on his way to being one of the best to ever play the game.