Don Cherry has long been a proponent that Connor McDavid should win the Calder Trophy this season as the NHL’s top rookie.

On Tuesday, however, the star of Coach’s Corner upped the ante.

“You ask me about McDavid. Who’s the best rookie in the league? What, are you kidding me? … He is not [only] the rookie of the year. He may be the best player in the National Hockey League,” Cherry said.

The Edmonton Oilers centre has four assists through three games representing Canada at the World Championship. His blazing speed, immense skill and prescient hockey sense has been on display in Russia.

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Despite missing nearly half the season with a broken clavicle, McDavid showed glimpses of the superstar he could morph into. The first-overall pick from the 2015 NHL Draft finished with 48 points in 45 games. That was good enough for fourth among rookies, but his points per game ranked third in the entire NHL. Only Hart/Ted Lindsay nominees Patrick Kane and Jamie Benn had more points per game than McDavid.