Connor McDavid was a game-time decision for the Edmonton Oilers in Game 5 on Tuesday, and the team needed its captain available to extend a season that was already on the edge. Edmonton entered the night trailing the Anaheim Ducks 3-1 in the Western Conference First Round and facing elimination at Rogers Place.
McDavid and Dickinson Sit Out Skate
McDavid and Jason Dickinson did not take part in the morning skate Tuesday, leaving both forwards listed as game-time decisions before puck drop. Dickinson had already missed Games 2 and 3 with a lower-body injury before returning for Game 4, where he picked up an assist in Edmonton’s 4-3 overtime loss on Sunday.
McDavid’s status carried more weight because his series production had stayed intact despite the ankle injury he suffered in Game 2. He left that game to be evaluated, then returned later in the period, and he still had four points, with one goal and three assists, through the first four games against Anaheim.
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Oilers Need Healthy Bodies
The captain also had been logging big minutes even while managing the injury. In Game 4 on Sunday, after skipping practice before the game, he played 19:32 and had two assists in the Oilers’ 4-3 overtime loss.
Kris Knoblauch said Tuesday, “Anytime you’re missing somebody, you need somebody stepping up,” and added, “We do have some guys who are banged up, and they continue to play and do the best they can do. Ultimately, everyone has to step it up a little bit. Playoffs are a tough time to play. It's tight checking, there's not much room... right now, we need those guys who are healthy to pick up the slack for the guys who can't play like they want to.” Edmonton also had to sort through a group missing pieces while trying to avoid ending its playoff run at home.
Ted Lindsay Award Finalist
Tuesday brought one more note for McDavid: he was named one of three finalists for the Ted Lindsay Award, joining Nikita Kucherov and Macklin Celebrini. He led the NHL this season with 138 points, including 48 goals and 90 assists, in 82 games, numbers that frame how much offense Edmonton has leaned on even with the ankle issue in play.
The Oilers could not afford to absorb another quiet night from their top line in a game that carried elimination weight. If McDavid was available, Edmonton had a chance to keep the series alive; if not, the pressure shifted even more onto Leon Draisaitl and the rest of the group that Knoblauch said needed to “pick up the slack.”
