Somewhere out in the NHL multiverse there is a timeline where Connor McDavid and Jack Eichel became fierce rivals.
Both were considered blue-chip talents at the top of the 2015 draft. One Canadian, one American, both centres that were supposed to turn around moribund franchises from their native countries. If McDavid had slightly underperformed expectations, and Eichel had surprised in the opposite direction, the two would've met in the middle.