Seeing the Edmonton Oilers on the ice without their captain is not a rewarding experience. But with the regular season coming to an end, fans had begun to come to terms with the fact that Connor McDavid wouldn’t be able to lead the squad to the playoffs. In recent weeks, the Oilers’ locker room has been wrought with injuries, but the 28-year-old missing eight games straight was probably the toughest pill to swallow. Naturally, with the last lap of the 2024-25 season, it’s no time for the Oilers clan to chill. But, maybe, uplifting days are finally here!
It’s that time of the year again! The 2025 Stanley Cup playoffs is nearly upon us, and hockey fans around the world are waiting with baited breath to see the drama unfold. However, considering the high stakes, Oilers fans can barely take a moment to sit down and relax. But with captain Connor McDavid back, things are looking bright in Edmonton
Connor McDavid finds his footing and gets back into the rink
At Rogers Place, the Oilers beat the Blues 4-3 in regulation time. While that should have been Edmonton’s ticket to the playoffs, the Flames’ failure to beat the Ducks in regulation delayed those hopes. However, despite the setback, seeing Connor McDavid back in the starting line-up was a welcome sight. While the Oilers captain couldn’t find the back of the net with the puck, he did achieve a hat trick of assists in his return from injury. In the post-match interview posted onto the Edmonton Oilers YouTube channel, McDavid discussed his high hopes for the remainder of the regular season matches.
“We got a great medical staff here. I’m confident we’re going to get everybody ready to roll when it comes time,” he stated about how the Oilers staff are working around the clock to ensure the team has its best players in their best physical condition. “Everybody’s kind of trying to, you know, do whatever they can to get ready when it’s real.” McDavid went on to reveal how the injured players are itching to get back into action with the hopes of giving this squad a fighting chance to make it to the postseason.
“For me, getting into games and feeling the puck and getting into different situations that only a game can provide,” the Oilers’ main man elaborated on how he has been waiting to get back onto the ice. Last month, McDavid sustained a lower-body injury during the Oilers’ match against the Winnipeg Jets, which rendered him out of play for weeks. But tonight, he got his skating gear on, and how?
Raking up three assists, including setting up Connor Brown’s goal that settled the score, McDavid proved that he’s back and hungry to use his skill for the team’s sake. But it wouldn’t be something that Edmonton fans would have any qualms about, especially with how things have been bleak in these past weeks.
The Oilers are looking to put injuries behind them
The Oilers have been dealing with a long list of injured players for quite some time. From Mattias Ekholm and Stuart Skinner to Leon Draisaitl and Trent Frederic, there has been one bad news after the other. Naturally, fans couldn’t help but opine that it was a “curse” that cast a cloud on Edmonton’s fate this season. Thankfully, though, it looks like Connor McDavid gave a reason to be hopeful, as he hinted that the full squad could be back in full form soon.
“We expect to get everybody (in) before the end of the season,” head coach Kris Knoblauch also sounded a similar message in the post-game interview. His optimism should only get a boost knowing the captain hasn’t lost his touch. With his three assists tonight, Connor McDavid is tied for sixth in the NHL with 93 points. However, while his absence was sorely felt, it wasn’t the first time McDavid was decommissioned this season.
During the final moments of the match between the Oilers and the Canucks in January, things went chaotic and Connor cross-checked Conor Garland in the helmet after the referees didn’t take any action against the Vancouver players who held down the Oilers captain. The action resulted in a 3-match suspension for McDavid, which only ignited a fire in him. On his return, the Canadian scored against the Kraken and helped the Oilers win the game 4-2. Will similar scenes unfold yet again now that he’s back? What do you reckon?
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