The Edmonton Oilers received a major blow when #1 overall pick Connor McDavid suffered an upper-body injury with just under two minutes to go in the second period of Tuesday’s game against the Philadelphia Flyers. #97 in blue and orange headed straight for the locker room and didn’t return.
Although Oilers head coach Todd McLellan deemed the rookie phenom’s injury to be “long term,” it was unsure how serious the Richmond Hill, ON native’s ailment was.
An update came this morning from TSN’s Bob McKenzie, who tweeted that McDavid is expected to have surgery after suffering a fractured clavicle.
That report was confirmed by Oilers President and GM Peter Chiarelli who addressed the media at 12:30 ET and revealed the back-breaking news:
“He’ll be out indefinitely. We’re not talking week-to-week, we’re talking months. That’s plural. Months.”
McDavid, 18, is off to a well-documented start in his first 13 NHL games with five goals and seven assists. His 12 points led (and still leads) all rookies coming into last night’s affair against an Eastern Conference opponent in Dave Hakstol’s Flyers. Chiarelli hopes that his young star will not miss a beat when he draws back into the lineup.
“He’s a strong kid, mentally and physically.” Chiarelli said. “He’s still developing and he’s going to come back stronger.”
As the winger was driving down the left side of the Flyers zone, McDavid took a shot from around the goal line and lost an edge, slamming into the boards behind the net along with Flyers defensemen Brandon Manning and Michael Del Zotto. McDavid then left the ice while holding his left shoulder and was seen with his skates off and in a sling before his team defeated the Flyers 4-2.
His injury was reminiscent of Chicago Blackhawks forward Patrick Kane, who broke his left clavicle after crashing into the boards in late February of last season. Kane’s initial timetable was 12 weeks, but made his return eight weeks later against the Nashville Predators in Game 1 of the Western Conference Quarterfinals.
Edmonton’s next game is Friday against the Pittsburgh Penguins at Rexall Place. Chiarelli told the media that he remains confident in his team, despite the sidelining of one of his top offensive weapons.
“Injuries happen. You have to get by them & rely on your depth.”
