Auston Matthews receives ringing endorsement from Connor McDavid which should leave everyone smiling

It's hardly a surprise that McDavid would go out of his way to shower praise on Matthews; the two are almost always linked when it comes to awards and although McDavid has seen a smidgen of a longer playoff run, a Stanley Cup has eluded both men. During an interview with Sportsnet where he spoke about Matthews and his connection to Toronto and had nothing but a glowing review.

Both men have been seen in the offseason working on their game during a skate in Germany, as well as at various points in the offseason in and around Toronto.

Both men have shared the ice before, as McDavid and Matthews both played for Team North America during the World Cup of Hockey in 2016; a team comprised of 23-and-under players from both Canada and the United States. Both countries put out their own national rosters as well for that tournament. North America would not make it out of the Group Stage though and Canada went on to win the whole thing,, captained by Sidney Crosby.

All of this buddying up together has led to some speculation that McDavid could be coming back home when his contract expires, and perhaps Matthews is trying to persuade the phenom to form arguably the greatest 1-2 punch we've seen in a very long time. It is sure to rub Oilers fans the wrong way and make Maple Leafs fan salivate at the thought, but as of now; it's a story of how one generational talent shows respect and admiration for another.

Hockey is a beautiful game.