Connor McDavid showed that the risk of returning to the Edmonton Oilers’ lineup against the St. Louis Blues on Wednesday was minimal, after missing the past eight NHL games due to a lower-body injury. His presence was crucial, as the Oilers would have been forced to play two fewer players if their captain hadn’t worn the uniform for the first time since suffering the injury on March 20 against the Winnipeg Jets.
His return was triumphant. The Oilers captain shone with three assists in the 4-3 win, moving Edmonton closer to securing a spot in the 2025 Stanley Cup playoffs. Despite significant absences in the lineup, McDavid led with his skill and determination, powering a team that fought hard to earn a vital victory.
“Obviously it was a difficult situation for our group as a whole,” McDavid said according to NHL.com. “Guys coming in and out of the lineup, sick, hurt whatever it is, short numbers so we go with five ‘D.’ It was a gutsy effort by them and it was kind of a crazy day for our group not knowing who is going and whatnot. I was just happy to get in there.”
McDavid seizes the opportunity
Despite the uncertainty, McDavid saw his return as an opportunity. “I wasn’t taking anyone’s spot, and I thought it was an opportunity,” McDavid said. “If it was no good, you go out, take a couple of shifts and if it’s no good then you come out. I wasn’t taking anyone’s spot and obviously, I felt good and there were no problems.”
With only 11 forwards and five defenders available before McDavid’s return, the decision to have him play was made after morning practice. He ended up logging 20:35 minutes of ice time.
McDavid makes the difference
McDavid assisted Connor Brown for the Oilers’ first goal at 1:30 of the second period, had the secondary assist on Vasily Podkolzin‘s goal at 12:39, and then assisted Brown again at 19:39 of the third period for the game-winning goal. With these three assists, he became the seventh player in NHL history with at least five consecutive seasons of 65 assists.
The news that McDavid would play wasn’t confirmed until the Oilers arrived at the arena. “It’s tough, it’s that time of year where there’s not many practices,” he said. “I’ve been skating by myself; I don’t know how many more tight turns I can do before you just have to go. Obviously coming back from injury [stinks] mentally for any athlete, it’s so unpredictable and there are so many variables and things that you can’t account for. It’s nice to get that out of the way mentally.”
“Everyone is on their own path and trying to do what they can to get ready when it’s real,” McDavid added. “Part of that for me is getting into games and feeling the puck and getting into different situations that only a game can provide.”
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McDavid and the challenge of adaptation
After missing eight games with his most recent injury, McDavid admitted it took him a while to feel like he used to, though it was hard to tell watching him play. “Timing is something guys always talk about,“ McDavid said. “It’s not something you can replicate in practice skating by yourself. The pep drills don’t account for all that other stuff, so it was tough.”