Injured McDavid skates but 'not quite ready' for Oilers action

Edmonton Oilers captain Connor McDavid during his team's optional skate on Nov. 4, 2024, at Rogers Place. (Credit: TSN)

Connor McDavid was in full gear sweating it out on the ice Monday morning during the Edmonton Oilers' optional practice ahead of their evening game against the New Jersey Devils.

The National Hockey League superstar won't be playing, however.

McDavid was ruled out for two-to-three weeks with a lower-body injury last week after he was tripped into the boards at the start of the Oilers' game Oct. 28 against the Columbus Blue Jackets.

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Head coach Kris Knoblauch said after the skate that the Oilers captain is "not quite ready" for action.

"We're going to go day by day here, and we'll see," McDavid told media when asked if he was going to play this weekend. "I felt good out there today. We'll see how it responds and go from there."

The Oilers are slated to visit the Vancouver Canucks on Saturday after hosting the Devils Monday then the Vegas Golden Knights on Wednesday at Rogers Place.

Edmonton Oilers captain Connor McDavid talks to media after an optional practice on Nov. 4, 2024. (Credit: TSN)McDavid said the decision about when he returns to the lineup will be a result of not only how he feels but with input from the team's medical team.

"You've got to listen to everybody, listen to your body as well and make the best call with all that information," said McDavid, who had scored three goals and seven assists for 10 points in 10 games before the injury.

Knoblauch said he understands why McDavid – and any player – wants to return as soon as possible: "It's in their DNA that they want to be on the ice for the games and helping their teammates."

"He's a competitor. He wants to be out on the ice. He wants to be helping the team win," Knoblauch told media. "Obviously, he knows his body, and the doctors are giving him their medical advice. Ultimately, it's going to come down to when the doctors think it's best for him to come back."

Edmonton Oilers centre Leon Draisaitl (29) celebrates a goal with teammates during NHL action against the host Nashville Predators on Oct. 31, 2024. (George Walker IV/Associated Press)

Coach wants to see more

Leon Draisaitl has provided everything a coach would want from a star player in leading a team to its last two victories.

And while the Oilers put in a fulsome effort against the Predators in a 5-1 win on Halloween, Knoblauch said the coaching staff "could have seen some more from other lines" in a Draisaitl-led 4-2 win over the host Calgary Flames.

"I think our game needs to simplify and get more shots to the net in traffic and protect the puck in the offensive zone a little more, rather than just being a one-and-done, where you look for that strike, that pass in the slot and it's not there – it gets picked off, and now you have to defend," Knoblauch said.

"It's a balance of taking advantage of those looks and getting them out of position, but if you grind them down, you spend more time in the offensive zone (and) you're going to draw more penalties ... It's just better for our game in the long run."

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Edmonton Oilers goalie Calvin Pickard blocks a shot on goal during NHL action against the host Nashville Predators on Oct. 31, 2024. (George Walker IV/Associated Press)

Highs and froze

• Draisaitl has points in eight of his last nine games: 15 points off eight goals and seven assists.
• Calvin Pickard gets the start in the Oilers' goal after Stuart Skinner backstopped their win Sunday night in Calgary.
• The Devils have the NHL's fifth-best power play (28.9%) and 11th-ranked penalty-kill (82.9%). The Oilers rank 25th (16.2%) and 32nd (61.8%) in those categories, respectively.
• The Devils are 1-1 on their three-game road swing through western Canada, including Wednesday's 6-0 win over the Canucks and Friday's 3-0 loss to the Flames.
• New Jersey leads the league in goals scored during the second period (22).
• Kurtis MacDermid draws into the Devils lineup in place of Nathan Bastian, who suffered a jaw injury in Calgary.

Projected Oilers lineup

Forward

1. Vasily Podkolzin • Leon Draisaitl • Viktor Arvidsson
2. Jeff Skinner • Ryan Nugent-Hopkins • Zach Hyman
3. Mattias Janmark • Adam Henrique • Connor Brown
4. Derek Ryan • Noah Philp • Corey Perry

Defence

1. Mattias Ekholm • Evan Bouchard
2. Darnell Nurse • Troy Stecher
3. Brett Kulak • Ty Emberson

Goal

• Calvin Pickard • Stuart Skinner