Given all the hype surrounding Connor McDavid the past few years, and what Auston Matthews will go through next year, it's worth considering the plight of Angelo Esposito.

He was a hockey sensation at 16 -- 98 points in 57 games in his first year of junior hockey. He was a Memorial Cup champion and the presumptive No. 1 overall pick for the 2007 draft.

Things have not worked out well for Esposito.

The top rated skater for part of his draft year, NHL Central Scouting dropped him to eighth in their final rankings. He finally went 20th, to Pittsburgh.

He hasn't set foot in the NHL, done in by injuries and other parts of the game -- including the mental aspect -- taking its toll. He was last seen playing hockey in the ECHL. He took this year off.

"It was a tough year mentally and physically," says Esposito. "I've been through a lot over the last few years so I took the year off. I just had to clear up my conscience. I started training about two months ago and I'm looking to go back and play in Europe again next year."

Sure, Esposito has had a rough ride. He tore his ACL twice and then his MCL after. Then a hip labrum. Mentally, he worried more and more about getting injured and playing injured while dealing with his own disappointment at his career trajectory.



He thought of retiring.

"After all I've been through it comes to your mind, but after taking a month and a half off, I was sitting at home, I was with my girlfriend and I looked at her and I said I need to play. I can't do this. I don't know what I'll do if I don't play hockey," said Esposito. "I didn't want to come back this year just because I wasn't in great shape and I didn't want to get hurt. I want to be able to play at my best, perform and do what I could do again and I just needed some time to start putting all the pieces together again."

Esposito dropped by the Memorial Cup, part of the celebration of the 2006 Remparts who managed to send a mere four players to the NHL. Among them, two had cups of coffee (goalie Cedric Desjardins and forward Jordan Lavallee-Smotherman), one is a star in the KHL (Alexander Radulov) and one is an NHL regular (Marc-Edouard Vlasic).

"At first, when a 16 year old comes in, it's not fair to put that much hope on him, because he's only 16," said Vlasic. "He had so much talent so much potential. It's too bad. He was such a nice guy, such a great player. It's too bad.

"I wish he would have been able to make it farther. There are a lot of first-round picks that don't end up playing, and there are a lot of seventh-round picks who have great careers."

Greatness was predicted for Esposito. He wasn't related to Hall of Famers Phil or Tony, but some believed he might be the greatest Esposito ever. The hype was incredible. But he's come to terms with his reality.

"You grow up," said Esposito. "You mature in your body and you have to learn to accept things. Everyone's destined for something in life. It's too bad I never got to step on the ice in the NHL.

"So maybe, you never want to say never, but you have to be realistic. But you come to terms with it. You just try to do... there's something else waiting out there and hopefully I get to achieve something else."

So what does Esposito think of the hype surrounding McDavid?

"It's part of hockey," said Esposito. "You have to deal with it. Some guys deal with it better than other guys and that's it. Watching him play, he's a great player and I'm sure he's going to have a great career. Hopefully everything works out for him."

Still, Esposito accomplished some things few ever did, even if he peaked as a hockey player as a teenager. He's got a Memorial Cup and a world junior hockey championship gold medal.

"It means a lot," says Esposito. "I was fortunate enough to win two championships. They were great moments. You form bonds with a group of guys."

GOT A QUESTION?

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TODD MCLELLAN

It didn't sound like Sharks defenceman Marc-Edouard Vlasic was at all put out that Todd McLellan is no longer coaching San Jose.

"After seven years, it's time for change," said Vlasic. "Not many coaches last that long. I'm happy for him. He's in Edmonton. There are a lot of coaches available. We need a coach and three assistants. There is still time."