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PALM BEACH, Florida -- The start to Connor McDavids season has been so impressive for the Edmonton Oilers?that?hes ignited a debate among hockey fans as to whether or not hes emerged as the games best player.In just his second season, McDavid leads the league in points with 36. He has the Oilers in first place in the Pacific Division after they finished last in 2015-16. Theres an argument to be made, for sure.But the Great One isnt having it just yet. Wayne Gretzky still views Penguins captain Sidney Crosby as No. 1.Sid is still the best player in hockey. Thats a mantle you earn over time, Gretzky told ESPN.com. Its one of those things where you have to earn that title.After a late start to his season because of a concussion, Crosby has resumed the high-level play he displayed at the World Cup.Hes played eight fewer games than McDavid and still has climbed into the top five in scoring with 27 points. Crosbys 17 goals are tied for the league lead with Winnipeg rookie phenom Patrik Laine.Is Connor a great player? Absolutely. Does Connor have an opportunity to be the next Crosby? Absolutely, Gretzky said. Right now, Sidney deserves to be known as the best player in the game. Hes been the best player consistently in his career. Hes won Stanley Cups and hes won gold medals. Until somebody takes that mantle away from him, hes still going to hold the crown.Gretzky, who is partner and vice chairman of the Oilers, was in Florida for the NHLs board of governors meeting, which runs through Friday. The board is expected to get an update on where the new Las Vegas expansion team is in its building process.Gretzky was a big part of growing the game in Los Angeles and Phoenix as a player and coach. He offered this advice for the new Vegas franchise: Get the kids in Nevada playing hockey, and youll have a family of hockey fans eager to attend NHL games.Youve got to really focus on youth hockey. We did that in L.A. We had a really good group of guys like Luc Robitaille, Marty McSorley, Kelly Hrudey and Tony Granato -- guys that understood that L.A. was a different place, and we had to do different things, Gretzky said. Youth hockey becomes imperative. ... Thats what Vegas has to do.Custom NHL Jerseys . Now that hes hitting streaking teammates with pin-point passes for easy layups, Love is asserting himself as one of the true superstars in the league. Clearance NHL Jerseys . -- Teemu Selanne scored the first goal of his 22nd NHL season, and the Anaheim Ducks extended the best start in franchise history with their fifth straight victory, 3-2 over the Calgary Flames on Wednesday night. https://www.chinanhljerseys.us/ .B. - Sebastien Auger made 44 saves as the Saint John Sea Dogs edged the visiting Acadie-Bathurst Titan 2-1 on Saturday in Quebec Major Junior Hockey League action. Wholesale NHL Jerseys . Louis Cardinals. Victorino is batting sixth and playing right field after missing two games because of back tightness. NHL Jerseys Outlet . -- Matt Kuchar and Harris English ran away with the Franklin Templeton Shootout, shooting a 14-under 58 on Sunday in the final-round scramble to break the tournament course record.SEATTLE -- Behind Thomas Rawls bouncing off and through tacklers and a big-play punch from Tyler Lockett, the Seattle Seahawks rediscovered their offensive star power on Sunday night.It came at a significant cost to their defense.Rawls ran for 103 yards and two touchdowns in the first half, Lockett took a reverse 75 yards for a score to open the second half and the Seahawks routed the Carolina Panthers 40-7 on Sunday night.The victory was clouded by the loss of standout safety Earl Thomas for the rest of the regular season at least to a broken tibia in the first half. While coach Pete Carroll did not have a timeline, he expected the injury to be six weeks at the minimum.Earls been a fixture here for a long time. Hes missed two games in his life playing football in the last couple of weeks. Were going to miss him enormously, Carroll said.Another prime-time game in Seattle was provided with odd story lines right from the outset when Carolina quarterback Cam Newton was benched for the first play, only to watch backup Derek Anderson throw an interception . It was the start of miserable night for Carolina (4-8) and a laugher that moved Seattle (8-3-1) one step closer to the NFC West title.I think there was a lack of communication on my part. I think I have to be accountable to know certain things, Newton said.Rawls and the run game set the tone for Seattle, gashing the second-best run defense in the NFL for 240 yards. Carolina entered the week giving up less than 80 yards per game on the ground.Rawls finished with 106 yards on 15 carries, quiet in the second half after briefly being checked for a concussion. He was just the second 100-yard rusher for the Seahawks, who have struggled on the ground this season. Rawls 8-yard run gave Seattle an early 10-0 lead and his 45-yard sprint early in the second quarter pushed it to 17-7.I have to let it come to me and then take it after I get past those big boys, Rawls said. The guys up front did a tremendous job. They were phenomenal.Russell Wilson was 26 of 36 for 277 yards and a 1-yard scoring pass to Jimmy Graham in the fourth quarter. The Seahawks rolled up a season-high 534 yards and kept a three-game lead over Arizona in the division with four games remaining.Thomas broke the bone in a first-half collision with teammate Kam Chancellor while trying to intercept Newtons pass. Thomas hobbled off, putting no weight on the leg, and X-rays revealed the fracture.You cant really tell where people are. We were both trying to make a play, Chancellor ssaid.dddddddddddd. Its hard to see your brother go down like that.On the play after Thomas injury, Newton hit Ted Ginn Jr. on a 55-yard touchdown pass to pull the Panthers to 10-7. It would be the only highlight for Carolina.Rawls immediately answered, darting through the Carolina defense for a 45-yard touchdown run and a 17-7 lead. Steven Hauschka added two more field goals before halftime and Lockett raced 75 yards on a reverse on the first play of the second half. In less than 10 minutes of game time, Seattle extended the lead to 30-7.I think I finally got to hit that extra gear that Ive been waiting on, Lockett said.Newtons benching was for a dress code violation -- he did not have a necktie for the team flight -- and the single play he missed could not have gone worse. Anderson rolled out to throw a pass to Mike Tolbert. It bounced off Tolberts hands and into the arms of Mike Morgan, a disastrous result for that only added to questions about coach Ron Riveras intention with the punishment.Newton finished 14 of 32 for 182 yards.I treat him like I do all the other players on the team and he didnt start, Rivera said.LOPSIDED RESULTIt was seventh meeting in the past five years between the Seahawks and Panthers, playoffs included. It was the first time of the seven the game was decided by more than 14 points. Five of the previous six were decided by seven points or fewer. The biggest win during the stretch was Seattles 31-17 win in the 2014 playoffs.BATTERED PANTHERSCarolinas injury list grew again.The Panthers were already without starters Kurt Coleman and Luke Kuechly (concussions) and defensive end Mario Addison (foot) on defense, and right tackle Daryl Williams (ankle) on offense. Carolina then lost cornerback Daryl Worley and linebacker David Mayo to concussions against the Seahawks.THOMAS TWEETSOne of the most emotional players on Seattles roster, Thomas hinted at retirement in a tweet sent just before halftime.This game has been so good to me no regrets. A lot is running through my mind including retirement thanks for all the prayers, Thomas tweeted from the Seattle locker room.Thomas missed the first game of his career last week at Tampa Bay due to a hamstring injury.UP NEXTPanthers: Carolina returns home and hosts San Diego.Seahawks: Seattle travels to Green Bay.---For more NFL coverage: http://www.pro32.ap.org and http://www.twitter.com/AP-NFL ' ' '