McDavid injury ‘great opportunity’ for others to step up, Oilers coach says

Playing without Connor McDavid for the next 2-3 weeks will be a challenge for the Edmonton Oilers, who are already struggling offensively.

The Oilers are off to a slow start and have not played anywhere near the level that had them reach Game 7 of the Stanley Cup Final last season.

Entering its game against the Nashville Predators at Bridgestone Arena on Thursday (8 p.m. ET; HULU, ESPN+, SNW), Edmonton is 4-5-1 after a 6-1 loss at the Columbus Blue Jackets on Monday, when McDavid sustained an ankle injury just 37 seconds into the game.

The Oilers announced the severity of McDavid’s injury Wednesday. It turned out to be good news for coach Kris Knoblauch, considering the prognosis could have been a lot worse.

“Absolutely, you never know what the outcome was going to be and how long,” Knoblauch said after practice in Nashville. “Obviously, you don’t want to miss him any time, but you think about what could have been, we’re lucky it’s as short as it is.”

Edmonton has 10 games on the schedule in the next three weeks. The Oilers conclude their current four-game road trip at the Calgary Flames on Sunday. By projections, McDavid could be back against the Minnesota Wild on Nov. 21, or two days later against the New York Rangers.

McDavid has not been out more than six games consecutively since crashing into the end boards in his rookie season in 2015-16 and missing 37 games with a broken clavicle. The Oilers went 14-18-5 in his absence and missed the Stanley Cup Playoffs for the 10th consecutive season.

A three-time Hart Trophy winner (2017, 2021, 2023) as the League’s most valuable player, four-time Ted Lindsay Award winner as most outstanding player (2017, 2018, 2021, 2023) and five-time Art Ross Trophy winner as the NHL’s leading scorer (2017, 2018, 2021, 2022, 2023), McDavid has missed 19 games since his rookie season.

The Oilers captain missed two games with an illness and was suspended for two in 2018-19, missed six with a quadricep injury and another with an illness in 2019-20, sat out a game with COVID-19 in 2021-22, missed two with an upper-body injury and another three with a lower-body injury last season. He also sat out the last game of the 2021-22 season and the final game of last season with Edmonton having already solidified its playoff seeding.

In the 655 regular-season games with McDavid in the lineup, Edmonton is 353-247-55 and scores an average of 3.21 goals per game. The Oilers’ power play converts at an average of 24.9 percent.

Edmonton is 20-26-10 without McDavid, averages 2.25 goals per game and its power play scores on 15.3 percent of its opportunities.

"Well, absolutely the challenge is not having the best player, point producer, someone who gets one and a half, two points a game, that'll make an impact on our team," Knoblauch said. "I think it's a great opportunity for everyone to step up and play. Just as a player, it's awfully hard to get in a rhythm and a flow for those players. Now, when you're missing somebody who is playing about 22 minutes a night, there's a lot more rhythm for those third-, fourth-line guys. [They're] able to feel good about themselves and feel part of the game."

Edmonton has been struggling to score even with McDavid this season; the Oilers are tied with the New York Islanders for the second-fewest goals in the NHL (22) through 10 games. Only the Anaheim Ducks (21) have fewer.

McDavid had 10 points (three goals, seven assists) in 10 games prior to his injury. Leon Draisaitl also has 10 points (six goals, four assists) in 10 games. Yet, Edmonton has nine players still looking for their first goal of the season, including forward Zach Hyman, who had a career-high 54 last season.

Forwards Viktor Arvidsson, Mattias Janmark, Vasily Podkolzin, and Derek Ryan, along with defensemen Darnell Nurse, Travis Dermott, Troy Stecher and Ty Emberson, have yet to score this season. Forwards Ryan Nugent-Hopkins, Connor Brown, Adam Henrique and Corey Perry all have one goal in 10 games.

“The players have to see the opportunity that they have and know that it’s a time for them to step up,” Knoblauch said. “As for the coach, there has to be some communication on what their role is going to be and how they can help the team.

“I think the coach and the player have to work together through that communication, but ultimately it’s the players stepping up and playing to their potential.”

Edmonton has Stanley Cup aspirations again after coming so close last season, losing 2-1 in Game 7 to the Florida Panthers. McDavid is a big reason the Oilers are considered a contender again. Without him for the next 2-3 weeks, they’re going to have to find solutions -- both 5-on-5 and on the power play.

Their man-advantage was the best in the NHL the previous three seasons, but it’s 27th thus far in 2024-25, converting at 13.8 percent.

“Well, obviously, without Connor there’s going to be some changes to what our personnel is and what the goal is or strategy, them getting familiar with each other,” Knoblauch said. “It’s always difficult in practice, whether you’re doing a 5-on-0 or even 5-on-4 because when it’s in practice, guys are reluctant to shoot because they don’t want to hurt anybody. There’s not one-timers because you don’t want to be ripping them off ankles. So, it’s not a game situation, but they're trying to get familiar with each other.”

NHL.com independent correspondent Robby Stanley contributed to this report