Edmonton Oilers General Manager Ken Holland had some very bad news today. In his presser, he announced that Connor McDavid will be out for likely two to three weeks. However, they’re hoping he can get back sooner.
Connor McDavid will be out two to three weeks, per Ken Holland. “We’re hoping less than that.”
— Chris Johnston (@reporterchris) February 11, 2020
Connor McDavid Out
McDavid suffered the quad injury against the Nashville Predators the other night. Edmonton was hopeful he would be OK but clearly some recovery time is needed. It is well known what McDavid went through this past summer. He had a gruelling rehab to get back from his knee injury. He could have opted for surgery instead, but likely would have missed almost all of this season. Instead, he was ready in October to play.
The importance of Connor McDavid likely doesn’t need to be stated. He has 30 goals and 51 assists for 81 points in just 55 games this year. He was a Hart Trophy favourite and if he doesn’t miss too much time, he will remain one. McDavid is the heart-and-soul of this Edmonton team. His skating ability and explosiveness is part of what makes him so dangerous on the ice. He can explode with a burst of speed coming from nowhere and burn almost any player in the league.
Going Forward
For the next few games, Edmonton will really need to buckle down. Losing the best player in the league is obviously going to leave a massive hole in anyone’s lineup. However, Edmonton’s biggest problem this season has been depth, so that doesn’t help. It is possible they go out and look for a trade, perhaps someone like Jean-Gabriel Pageau fits the bill? However, with the Colorado Avalanche losing Nazem Kadri today, the centre market will be heating up.
Look for Edmonton to take their time getting McDavid’s long-term health here. Rushing him back too soon would be a crucial mistake.
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