Analysts concerned with the Edmonton Oilers' management of Connor McDavid's injury: his recovery may be rushed
The latest update regarding Connor McDavid is that he was seen already on the ice, which has some analysts concerned the team is rushing him back.
The Edmonton Oilers were dealt a severe blow early in the week with news that their captain, Connor McDavid, would be out of action for two to three weeks with an ankle injury. He suffered the injury Monday night in a 6-1 loss to the Columbus Blue Jackets. The unfortunate accident came on the first shift when he was tripped and sent awkwardly into the boards. His left skate hit the lower part of the boards with great force, and he was out for the game, not to return.
McDavid flew back from Nashville to Edmonton on Tuesday after the injury. The team thereafter came out with the timeline for his recovery and said that the superstar forward would take a number of weeks to heal. Initial fears about the severity of the injury were considerably alleviated in the wake of the news; nevertheless, fans were still in anxious anticipation, as a full recovery instead of a rushed comeback was wished by everyone.
A sense of relief washed over Oilers fans with the knowledge that maybe, just maybe, McDavid's absence would be shorter than expected. On Thursday, though, fresh concerns courtesy of the Edmonton Journal: David Staples tweeted McDavid has already been on the ice skating. Although this sounded like a promising update in terms of an exact timeline at first glance, Staples did express concern that the Oilers may be rushing their captain back into the lineup in too big of a hurry, considering how slowly they got out of the gate to start the 2024-25 season. He illuminated those concerns with some insight from Ray Ferraro on the Ray & Dregs podcast.
Staples has concerns the Oilers could risk McDavid's long-term health in the name of a boost the team desperately needs off of their sluggish start. The pressure to improve offensively and turn their season around might be too great for both the team and McDavid to resist a risky decision. Despite his concerns, Staples remains hopeful, describing himself as an "Oilers optimist" and suggesting there could still be positives to find during McDavid's absence.
Later, Pierre LeBrun added to the discussion on TSN's Insider Trading to talk about Connor McDavid's appearance on the ice. Despite those anxieties, the Oilers showed resilience in their last game which wasn't quite expected. On Thursday night, they defeated the Nashville Predators 5-1, with Leon Draisaitl stepping up by recording three points. While McDavid's recovery is being closely watched, the team showed they could put on a strong performance without their captain.
- Pierre LeBrun
