Curtis Lazar feels sorry for his good friend Conner McDavid.

Not because he's almost certainly going to become an Edmonton Oiler, but for the expectations that will follow his former Team Canada junior teammate.

"That poor kid," Lazar said with a grin and a shake of his head Sunday morning when told TSN 1200's John Rodenburg had an hour earlier predicted McDavid would become the NHL's best player in 30 years. "Honestly, people expect him to lead the league in points next year and stuff like that. I always see the first year, there's expectations, but they're not real enough. For him, the expectations to play first or second line, to fill the net ... is he capable of doing it? Yes. But I don't want people to hold that on him. If he gets off to a slow start, then people start writing him off."

Lazar was watching on TV at a popular Kanata restaurant with his mother, grandmother and two brothers when the Oilers' bingo balls came up and they won the McDavid lottery.

McDavid looked less than thrilled as he walked from a back room to the set for an interview.

"Some people thought he came across as a little like upset about Edmonton winning, but that's not him at all," said Lazar, who spent his junior career with the Edmonton Oil Kings. "I think (the perceived disappointment) was more because he had a camera in his face more than anything. He has a shy personality. He enjoys the spotlight and everything, but he just wants to be a kid, too.

"He's going to love it there. I know that he's quite happy now. It's a great future for him, a great opportunity. And I'm going to help him as much as I can because I'm quite familiar with the city."

What was the first bit of advice Lazar planned on giving McDavid?

"I think he said it already ... pack a jacket or something like that," Lazar said chuckling. "They've got the young core. You see it here. People are starting to get excited and stuff, because you see the likes of (Andrew) Hammond, Mark Stone ... the list goes on and on. It's going to be like that in Edmonton too.

"With a player the magnitude of Conner, it's going to change the complexion of any roster. I wish he was here. But not really, because I'm happy to play him too, I guess."

Lazar wouldn't play along when asked what his own personal expectations were of McDavid.

"We'll find out," said Lazar. "He's a special player in his own regard."