With Peter Chiarelli expected to be named the general manager of the YoungStars entry during the NHL’s glitzy press conference Wednesday for the 2016 World Cup of Hockey, Team Canada GM Doug Armstrong needed just one word to describe the appointment.

“Fabulous,” Armstrong said during a phone interview Tuesday evening.

The selection of Chiarelli, who is entering his first season at the helm of the Edmonton Oilers, is yet another reflection of the outstanding job done by the management of the 2014 Canadian Olympic team, which iced a roster that dominated at the Sochi Games en route to the gold medal. Chiarelli and Armstrong both served as assistants to Olympic GM Steve Yzerman, who also oversaw Canada’s gold medal performance at the 2010 Vancouver Games.

Hockey fans: come to Maple Leaf Square tmrw at 12:30PM for a World Cup of Hockey announcement w/ 3 NHL stars #WCH2016pic.twitter.com/kBap5gPoyY — NHL (@NHL) September 9, 2015

“Peter Chiarelli’s track record speaks for itself,” Armstrong said. “A Stanley Cup with Boston, a Presidents Trophy and plenty of success on the international stage. He’s an outstanding pick to run that team and well deserving.”

Chiarelli will be the point man of the management team that selects from Canadian and U.S. players aged 23 and under, which is expected to include the likes of Connor McDavid, Nathan MacKinnon, Jack Eichel and Aaron Ekblad. Chiarelli, of course, is McDavid’s GM with the Oilers.

Chicago Blackhawks GM Stan Bowman reportedly will serve as Chiarelli’s assistant.

Earlier this year, it was announced that aiding Armstrong with Team Canada for next September’s World Cup will be Marc Bergevin of the Montreal Canadiens, Ken Holland of the Detroit Red Wings, Bob Murray of the Anaheim Ducks and Rob Blake of the Los Angeles Kings.

Meanwhile, Los Angeles Kings GM Dean Lombardi will be the pointman for Team USA, with the Flyers’ Paul Holmgren and the Flames’ Brian Burke serving as his assistants.

SID, STAMKOS ALREADY McDAVID FANS

Ten years ago, 18-year-old Sidney Crosby was drafted first overall by the Pittsburgh Penguins. He was billed as being the next big thing in the sport.

He was. And then some.

Now comes Connor McDavid, who has been swamped with Crosby-like hype before he’s even played an NHL game. And, according to Crosby and 2008 first overall pick Steven Stamkos, the kid from Newmarket deserves all the accolades he is receiving.

“He’s definitely way ahead of where I was at 18,” Stamkos said during the annual NHL/NHLPA Player Media Tour on Tuesday. “He’s a special talent, and anyone who asks me about him, I just tell them that he’s the real deal.

“I’ve met him a couple of times and he handles himself very well. I’m very interested, like everyone else, to see how he fares.”

Stamkos trained at the same facility with McDavid over the summer, one run by former NHLer Gary Roberts.

New York Islanders star John Tavares, having skated with McDavid several times, told the Sun back in May that he’d likely never seen anyone accelerate on the ice like this kid does.

On Tuesday, Stamkos was singing a similar tune.

“I haven’t really seen someone skate like that, so effortless,” Stamkos said.

“I don’t want to put so much pressure on the kid by saying those things, but he’s dealt with it his whole life. So, no matter what anybody says, he’s going to be fine.”

For his part, McDavid was informed of Stamkos’s comments after an informal skate with some of his Oiler teammates in Edmonton on Tuesday.

“That’s obviously one of the nicest compliments, but I don’t really think it’s true,” McDavid told reporters.

Time will tell.

WINDY CITY BLUES

With the legal issues facing Blackhawks star Patrick Kane well documented, defenceman Duncan Keith would not comment on the situation his teammate finds himself in during Tuesday’s media tour at the Mastercard Centre in Toronto.

He did have an interesting answer, however, when asked by Postmedia Network who would win the Art Ross Trophy as the NHL’s top points producer in 2015-16.

“Patrick Kane,” Keith answered without hesitation.

Given that it’s not even certain that Kane will be on hand when the Hawks open training camp in South Bend, Indiana on Sept. 18, Keith’s comments certainly could be interpreted as an indirect show of support for his teammate.

Kane was not invited to the media tour, which should come as no surprise. Keith and captain Jonathan Toews represented the defending Stanley Cup champion Blackhawks at the event.

Without specifically referring to Kane’s situation, Keith said the strong nucleus and support group inside the Hawks dressing room has allowed the team to overcome adversity before, just like it will this time.

“We’re a close group,” he said. “We’ve gotten through a lot of things.”

CROSS CHECKS

Bruins goalie Tuukka Rask and the Rangers’ Henrik Lundqvist both picked the Canadiens’ Carey Price to win his second consecutive Vezina Trophy in 2015-16. Of course, once the puck drops, both of those previous winners will do their best to themselves earn the trophy, which goes to the league’s top goalie... Capitals center Nicklas Backstrom is not sure he’ll be ready for opening night against the New Jersey Devils on Oct. 10 after having arthroscopic surgery on his left hip on May 27. “I’m not targeting anything,” he said. “I’m keeping everything open.” Backstrom resumed skating several weeks ago ... Toews on the uncertainty of NHLers competing at the 2018 Olympics: “To be 100% honest, I’d be extremely disappointed if it’s pulled off the table.”

mike.zeisberger@sunmedia.ca

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