Connor McDavid, a five-time NHL scoring champion, is set to miss 2-3 weeks due to an ankle injury incurred during the first shift of the Edmonton Oilers’ 6-1 loss to the Columbus Blue Jackets on Monday.
McDavid won the opening face-off, but after just 37 seconds on the ice, he was tripped by Blue Jackets defenseman Zach Werenski while attempting to enter the offensive zone, resulting in a hard crash into the right-wing boards. He managed to get up but appeared uncomfortable as he skated slowly to the bench, favoring his left leg. He did not return to the game and was sent back to Edmonton for further assessment.
The Oilers announced McDavid’s absence on Wednesday as they continue a three-game road trip, facing the Nashville Predators on Thursday.
“He’s our leader and the best player in the game, so his absence will be felt,” said Oilers forward Ryan Nugent-Hopkins following the loss. “We need to step up when a player like that goes down.”
At 27, McDavid is the league’s most prolific offensive talent. He has claimed the Art Ross Trophy for leading scorer five times, the Hart Trophy as MVP three times, and won the Conn Smythe Trophy as the playoff MVP last June, despite the Oilers losing in Game 7 of the Final to the Florida Panthers.
Throughout his nine-plus NHL seasons, McDavid has generally been quite healthy, averaging 21:41 of ice time per game. His only major injury was a broken collarbone in his rookie season (2015-16), which caused him to miss 37 games; he has only missed 19 games in total since then. The Oilers record is 6-8-5 without him in the lineup.
Last season, the Oilers won just one of six games during McDavid’s absence. He missed five games due to injuries and was scratched in the regular-season finale.
Currently, McDavid shares the team scoring lead with Leon Draisaitl, each having 10 points in the first 10 games—impressive for most players, but underwhelming for someone with 992 points (338 goals, 654 assists) in 655 regular-season games.
His absence will be significant, especially with the Oilers scheduled to play six times over the next two weeks and ten games in three weeks, starting with Nashville on Thursday, followed by a game against the Calgary Flames on Sunday and a matchup against the New Jersey Devils on Monday.
“It’s tough to be without your captain and best player, but this presents an opportunity for others to step up,” said coach Kris Knoblauch. “It means more ice time and more chances.”
The Oilers have called up center Noah Philp and forward Drake Caggiula from their AHL affiliate in Bakersfield. Caggiula has registered five points (two goals, three assists) in five AHL games and has played 282 NHL games, though he hasn’t been in the NHL since the 2022-23 season with the Pittsburgh Penguins. He spent his first three seasons with Edmonton from 2016-19. Philp has three points (two goals, one assist) in six AHL games and has yet to make his NHL debut.
“It’s always challenging to play without your best player, but we hope it’s a short-term situation,” Knoblauch remarked. “Our team will look different, possibly just for one or two games.”