BLOG: Brown bound for a return to the Oilers lineup

TAMPA, FL – Regardless of whether the team’s winning or losing, Connor Brown isn’t a guy who likes to miss games.

“It's looked like some fun out there the last couple of games. The boys have been playing well and I'm just excited to be back,” he said following Friday’s practice at TGH Ice Plex in Tampa.

“When we’re struggling, it's just as hard to be out; maybe harder watching the boys kind of go through that and not be able to kind of contribute. Either way, it's never easy to be out of the lineup. 

“I'm a guy who loves to play, so I'm just excited to get back out there.”

Brown was once again a full participant at Oilers practice on Friday, which was the first session of their lengthy four-game road trip out East where they’ll face the Lightning, Panthers, Hurricanes and Capitals over a nine-day period.

Notably, the 29-year-old took part in the skate on the top line with Ryan Nugent-Hopkins and Connor McDavid before leading the team’s final stretch inside the centre circle, which is a good indicator that the Toronto, Ont. product is on the precipice of returning to the Oilers lineup.

If Brown isn’t back by Saturday versus Tampa Bay, then almost assuredly he’ll be able to make his return in one of the Oilers following three games of the road trip.

“It's been a long road for me and some hiccups along the way, but we've been working hard with the medical staff and I'm just really excited to get it going,” he said.

When Brown wasn't fit enough to join his teammates on the ice, they saw the dedication to the standard expected in the locker room first-hand as he worked to keep himself in shape for his return after missing the last six games with a lower-body injury he sustained against the Dallas Stars on Nov. 2.

“It's great to see. He's been working really hard in the gym. We all see it every single day,” Stuart Skinner said.

“I don't think that guy really takes any days off. The guys that play, we’ve got to take some days off here and there, but he's working on his body every single day to make sure that he's stronger and even more fit when he comes back. So huge credit to him. Hopefully, we get to see him in the lineup right away here, but just happy to see him step on the ice and get a few shots.”

“Obviously he didn't score, but that's just how it goes sometimes,” Skinner said with a smile.

Brown’s six-game absence has been the latest bump on a long road over the past year that’s been hampered significantly by a torn ACL last November that ended his season with the Washington Capitals after only four games.

After playing all 82 games for the Toronto Maple Leafs in each season between 2016-18, Brown has been limited to only 204 of a possible 343 games over the last five years – a total that’s been reduced the most by his injury-ruined 2022-23 campaign with the Caps.

“There’ve been some tests over the last couple of years here and you know what? One day at a time doing everything I can to be as fit as possible,” he said of his approach. ”Like I said, just looking forward and that's kind of the key – just [looking] onward, improving, getting better and I'm excited to get playing.”

Brown continued: “We get paid a lot of money to kind of handle these types of adversity and go through these tests, so I feel like I've been tested mentally over the last couple of years and it’s only going to make me stronger, only make me that much more grateful for my position in the League and to play and just get back to what I love to do and that's play.”

Prior to his recent injury stint, Brown was picking up momentum on a line with Dylan Holloway and Ryan McLeod, recording seven high-danger scoring chances over his previous three games as per Natural Stat Trick.

The former Erie Otters winger who played under now-Oilers Head Coach Kris Knoblauch remains an important piece to Edmonton’s offensive success on the right wing this season despite having yet to record a point through nine games with the Oilers.

“Right back into that one shift at a time. Honestly, that is how I'm going to approach it,” he said. “Just get ready for that first shift and onto the next and try not to think about it too much. Just go out and play.

“We've been playing this game for a long time, so obviously if you take a bit of time off, it's timing and the pace and getting adjusted to all that is tough for me. Just work as hard as I can and do everything I can to contribute as early as possible.”