Oilers' Connor McDavid vocal on return to practice amid ankle injury
The Edmonton Oilers watched in horror as Connor McDavid picked up an injury against the Columbus Blue Jackets last week. McDavid has not played since injuring his ankle in Columbus. But the Oilers captain has avoided the worst-case scenario as it pertains to his injury timeline. And on Monday, he even returned to practice .
McDavid skated with his teammates on Monday as he works his way back. Head coach Kris Knoblauch did say McDavid wouldn't play against the New Jersey Devils on Monday. However, the Oilers captain is feeling positive about where he is at. They will be careful with rushing him back, but there is optimism he could return sooner rather than later.
"Feels pretty good," McDavid said after practice, via Sportsnet. "Not too much limiting me on the ice. I'm happy with how it feels. We're gonna go day by day here. We'll see, I felt good out there today and we'll how it responds and go from there."
Oilers' Connor McDavid thankful for positive news regarding injury
Anytime you see a player limp after an awkward stumble or fall, the worst-case scenarios come to mind. Leg and ankle injuries can be heartbreaking and have long-lasting effects. Connor McDavid had similar concerns when it came to his injury last week. But in the end, he avoided a truly serious injury.
"When it first happens, obviously you're concerned that it's maybe something a little more serious," McDavid said, via Sportsnet. "Thankfully I got good news on it. I've been doing everything possible to make it feel better and I'm not just sitting around waiting for it to feel better."
McDavid has had a slow start by his lofty standards. He scored three goals and 10 points through his first 10 games before the injury. However, he is the best player in the world when he is fully on his game. McDavid showed this by winning the Conn Smythe Trophy as the MVP of the Stanley Cup Playoffs despite failing to win the Stanley Cup.
The Oilers have played well enough without their captain on the ice. Edmonton has won both of their games following the injury. They picked up a 5-1 win over the Nashville Predators as well as a 4-2 win over the Calgary Flames. At this time, however, they trail the Devils by two goals entering the second intermission.
While results have mostly gone their way, the Oilers certainly want McDavid back on the ice. Thankfully, it seems as if he could return sooner rather than later. This should certainly give Edmonton a boost as they work to turn things around after a slow start to the season.
