Step into the streets, arenas, espresso retailers, and places of work of Edmonton, and witness how the arriving of a teenage hockey phenomenon is altering the city’s fortunes.

Once referred to as the town of Champions, Edmonton is at a crossroads. As oil costs proceed to plummet, the commercial outlook grows bleaker via the day. Political alterations have ushered in an period of uncertainty. And, as if mirroring the city’s fortunes, the Edmonton Oilers proceed to fight at the ice, supplying little solace or break out to the city’s long-suffering hockey fans.

But on June 26, 2015, desire used to be reborn in Edmonton. With the 1st total decide within the NHL access Draft, the Edmonton Oilers chosen Connor McDavid, a once-in-a-generation expertise who, at basically eighteen years outdated, was once already being in comparison to the nice one that had preceded him twenty-five years previous. Sparked via the coming of McDavid, the development of a brand new state of the art hockey enviornment, and the improvement of a revitalized downtown middle, a brand new sensibility started to emerge in Edmonton. Sensing a chance, town began to rebuild and rebrand itself looking for a brand new future.

Through particular entry, uplifting anecdotes, and vibrant interviews, The McDavid Effect lines the renewal of not only a hockey staff, yet of a complete urban. Reflecting the multitude of viewpoints that make up Edmonton—from Connor himself to development crews at paintings at the downtown improvement to enterprise executives directing the recent form of the Albertan capital—The McDavid Effect paints a portrait of town because it is being reimagined, captures the near-religious reverence humans have for activities, and exhibits how the folk of Edmonton are coming to wish again.