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Newmarket's Connor McDavid named captain of Edmonton Oilers

The Canadian Press Published Wednesday, October 5, 2016 2:38PM EDT Last Updated Wednesday, October 5, 2016 4:01PM EDT

Edmonton Oilers' Connor McDavid lines up for a faceoff against the Vancouver Canucks during the first period of an NHL hockey game in Vancouver, B.C., on Saturday April 9, 2016. (The Canadian Press/Darryl Dyck/)

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EDMONTON -- The Edmonton Oilers have made Connor McDavid the youngest captain in NHL history.

McDavid will wear the C despite being 19 years and 266 days old and having just 45 games of NHL experience under his belt.

Oilers head coach Todd McLellan said the phenom is ready to handle the pressures that go along with the title of captain.

"He's mature beyond his years, so he's dealt with all of you since he was 14," head coach Todd McLellan told reporters Wednesday. "He handles himself very well and takes care of his teammates in front of and with the media, which we think is very important in a Canadian franchise."

He had 16 goals and 32 assists in his rookie season in 2015-16 despite missing 37 games with a broken collarbone.

"He showed that he was ready to take charge," said McLellan.

The native of Newmarket, Ont., who was the No. 1 overall pick in the 2015 draft, will follow in some big footsteps as captain, including those of Hall of Famers Wayne Gretzky and Mark Messier.

McDavid previously served as captain of the Ontario Hockey League's Erie Otters and Team North America at the World Cup of Hockey.

McLellan said he sees similarities between McDavid and Penguins captain Sidney Crosby, who also was handed the C when he was 19.

"He's an ambassador of the game," McLellan said of McDavid. "He understands his role."

McDavid said back in August that he wanted to "show everyone that I'm not some 18-year-old kid anymore."

Though he missed almost half of last season, McDavid performed on a level not seen from an 18-year-old since Crosby.

The Oilers hope a healthy McDavid and a revamped roster will put an end to their decade-long post-season drought. Edmonton hasn't qualified for the playoffs since 2006 and were last in the Western Conference last season despite the notable additions of McDavid, McLellan, and Cam Talbot, a No. 1 goaltender who offered rare stability in the crease.

The Oilers made more changes in the off-season, acquiring reliable defenceman Adam Larsson and six-foot-three, 233-pound bruiser Milan Lucic. They also selected Finnish sensation Jesse Puljajarvi with the fourth overall pick at the June draft.