The greatest player to ever sport an Edmonton Oilers jersey, or arguably any NHL jersey for that matter, seems to love the distinct possibility of Connor McDavid coming to his former team.

“He’s as good as I’ve seen in the last 30 years, the best player to come into the league in the last 30 years, the best to come along since (Mario) Lemieux and (Sidney) Crosby. He can definitely change a franchise’s fortunes,” said former Oiler great Wayne Gretzky to the Edmonton Journal.

There has been mixed opinions from the hockey world about the Oilers winning the Draft Lottery for the fourth time in six years, but Gretzky says the hockey prodigy is “clearly a franchise player” and will fit nicely in Edmonton.

”I think it’ll be a perfect fit for Connor in Edmonton. Not one bit is Edmonton a suffocating place to play. He’ll be treated like an Edmontonian. People will give him his privacy while they’re enamored by his ability. I know the Oilers have gone through a lot the last few years (nine straight years out of the playoffs) but they’ll be patient with him. I know it’s a big step going from junior hockey to the NHL, but the Edmonton fans have been through that with (Mark) Messier and (Paul) Coffey and (Grant) Fuhr and myself,” said Gretzky.

No. 99 is the NHL's all-time leading scorer and wants McDavid, who's currently battling it out in the OHL playoffs with the Erie Otters, to pass him in the record books.

“I hope he brings Edmonton a Stanley Cup and he breaks my records ... he’s got the talent and the makeup to do it. I hope he leaves a couple for me, though. I could use that,” he said.

As for trading the No. 1 pick for an elite defenceman or goalie, something the Oilers desperately need, The Great One scoffs at the idea. 

“I’ve had lots of people come up to me and ask ‘Do you think the Oilers would trade the No. 1 pick? I just laugh. Did Montreal trade the pick when they were going to get Guy Lafleur (in 1971)? Or Pittsburgh with Lemieux (1984) or Crosby (2005)? You don’t trade guys like that. Especially a player who’ll help your franchise and your city for the next 15 years,” said Gretzky.