McDavid sustains lower-body injury in Oilers loss to Blue Jackets

Connor McDavid sustained a lower-body injury for the Edmonton Oilers in a 6-1 loss to the Columbus Blue Jackets at Nationwide Arena on Monday.

McDavid started the game and won the opening face-off, but his only shift lasted just 37 seconds. During that shift, he was tripped up by Blue Jackets defenseman Zach Werenski while trying to enter the offensive zone and went awkwardly into the right boards.

"There was nothing intentional at all. It's a nonissue," Werenski said on Tuesday. "I was just reaching for the puck and might have nicked him.

"It's just really [lousy]. It [stinks]. He's the best player in the world. You want him on the ice."

After the game, Oilers coach Kris Knoblauch said McDavid would be returning to Edmonton for further evaluation.

“He's our leader and also the best player in the game. So, of course you're going to feel it," Oilers forward Ryan Nugent-Hopkins said. "We’ve got to do a better job of stepping up when a guy like that goes down.”

Edmonton (4-5-1) has two games remaining on its current road trip, at the Nashville Predators on Thursday and at the Calgary Flames on Sunday. Its next home game is against the New Jersey Devils on Nov. 4.

“It's tough, anytime you are playing without your best player, but it’s something that’s hopefully short term," Knoblauch said. "Obviously, our team is going to look different. Maybe that's one, two games."

McDavid is tied with Leon Draisaitl for first on the Oilers with 10 points (three goals, seven assists) this season. He was third in the NHL last season with 132 points (32 goals, 100 assists) in 76 games.

“It’s your captain, your best player. It should be an opportunity for guys to step up and say, ‘Oh, I’ve got this,’" Knoblauch said. "It’s more ice time, more opportunities.”

NHL.com independent correspondent Craig Merz contributed to this report