Edmonton Oilers captain Connor McDavid will miss his third consecutive game on Saturday against the Vancouver Canucks due to a lingering lower-body injury.
Connor McDavid will not return to the lineup tonight vs. VAN.
Remains day-to-day. #Oilers
— Tony Brar 🚀 (@TonyBrarOTV) April 13, 2024
McDavid exited late in the third period of a 4-2 win over the Calgary Flames on April 6 following a collision with Blake Coleman. The star center said the incident may have aggravated a pre-existing issue.
Without McDavid, the Oilers defeated the Vegas Golden Knights 5-1 on Wednesday before falling 3-2 in overtime to the Arizona Coyotes on Thursday. The single point clinched second place in the Pacific Division and home-ice advantage for Edmonton in the first round of the playoffs.
McDavid participated in optional morning skates on Friday and Saturday, leaving open the possibility of a return in the near future. However, head coach Kris Knoblauch said they are taking it “day to day” to ensure the face of the franchise is fully healthy for the postseason.
“We want to make sure everyone, not only Connor but the entire team, is healthy & ready to go.”
Coach Knoblauch provides updates on McDavid & catches up with the media after morning skate. @Enterprise | #LetsGoOilers pic.twitter.com/xxiuZYHG6l
— Edmonton Oilers (@EdmontonOilers) April 13, 2024
In McDavid’s absence, Leon Draisaitl has shifted to center the top line with Ryan Nugent-Hopkins and Zach Hyman. Adam Henrique, meanwhile, has moved up to the second line.
McDavid ranks third in the NHL scoring race with 130 points, trailing Nathan MacKinnon of the Colorado Avalanche (137 points) and Nikita Kucherov of the Tampa Bay Lightning (141 points).
The Oilers have four games remaining in the regular season after hosting the Canucks on Saturday. They will welcome the San Jose Sharks on Monday before visiting the Coyotes and Avalanche to close out the schedule.
The 26-year-old superstar previously missed two games in October with an upper-body injury. He made a successful return in the Heritage Classic outdoor game against the Flames.
With Edmonton’s playoff spot secured, the priority is having their captain fully recovered for the start of the postseason on April 20. Knoblauch emphasized McDavid will rejoin the lineup without hesitation once he is ready.
The Oilers have responded well in McDavid’s absence, but fans are still concerned about the severity and impact of his injury as the team looks to make a deep playoff run.
More details on McDavid’s injury status are expected in the coming days.
