Shortly after being selected in the 2017 NHL Entry Draft, Ottawa Senators winger Drake Batherson had the chance to train with other NHL players from the East Coast this summer. His practice teammates happened to be some of the best players in the sport, and ultimately it became an annual activity in Bedford, Nova Scotia.
Batherson wasn’t even an NHL player yet and he was skating with superstars like Sidney Crosby, Nathan MacKinnon and Brad Marchand. Crosby and Marchand had Stanley Cup rings; in 2022, MacKinnon did it too. This was a golden opportunity to make friends and learn from these players.
It would be a stretch to suggest that the student has become the master, but there is no doubt that as they have all aged over the years, Batherson has narrowed the gap between rookie and veteran, and may find himself with bragging rights in most cases. them at their next meeting next summer.
Crosby remains excellent, with 30 points in 31 games. But for the first time, he got his money’s worth against Batherson, who has 32 points in 30 games. As is often the case in summer, the two men will face each other this evening. Batherson’s Senators will host Crosby’s Pittsburgh Penguins.
The fact that both clubs are tied in the Eastern standings, two points out of a playoff spot, adds some spice to the game.
Marchand is far behind his East Coast compatriots with 23 points at the moment, but Mackinnon leaves them all in the dust, leading the entire NHL with 47 points.
So Batherson has become one of the veterans of summer skating and his teammate, Shane Pinto, is now the newcomer trying to catch up with them all. Pinto came skating for the first time last summer, and Batherson says he thinks it will now be an annual activity for him, too.
“It was awesome,” Batherson said. I’ve said it before, but (Pinto) didn’t start playing until he was 10 years old. And the only reason he started acting was because of Sid. So coming to town and being able to practice and skate with Sid every day was awesome.”
Saturday will be the Senators’ final home game of 2024, so they’re billing it as their Christmas game as summer friends reunite. But with two critical points at stake, don’t expect any good will towards the men.
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