Connor McDavid on personal expectations as NHL rookie: 'No real numbers I have in mind'

Weeks away from taking the NHL by storm, Connor McDavid isn't prepared to quantify his impending impact on the Edmonton Oilers.

Related: What does Connor McDavid need to achieve to meet expectations?

The phenom blew away the field as a member of the OHL's Erie Otters, averaging 1.72 points per game in 166 junior contests. Expectations are understandably high, but McDavid isn't putting any undue pressure on himself to make history right out of the gate.

"I just have to do the best that I can do," McDavid told Mike Brophy of NHL.com. "There are no real numbers that I have in my mind. I just want to have as good a year as possible. I just want to be the best player I can be. I think when you start putting numbers in your head it can really mess with you. That's the last thing you want."

The 18-year-old is already adopting a team-first mentality, something that will be necessary across the board if the Oilers are truly going to rise up out of the NHL's basement.

"Numbers are one thing, but some of the best games I have ever played have been games in which I didn't get a point or maybe had one point," he said. "You don't necessarily have to put up a lot of points to be impactful. There are lots of ways you can impact a game, and that is something I take a lot of pride in, trying to impact the game in any way possible."

The hype surrounding McDavid is reminiscent of Sidney Crosby's arrival ten seasons ago. All Crosby did was record 39 goals and 63 assists, becoming the youngest player in league history to record 100 points in a season (18 years, 253 days).

Those are big numbers to keep in mind once McDavid hits the ice, even as he says he's not thinking about them.