Edmontonians held their breath this weekend when Connor McDavid, the centerpiece of the Edmonton Oilers, made an early exit from practice on Sunday morning. With the anticipation of the Stanley Cup Finals mounting, seeing McDavid leave the ice prematurely could have sent any Oilers fan into a bit of a panic.
McDavid, who participated in the first ten minutes of the practice at Rogers Place, had a quick chat with the trainers before heading off the ice. The rest of the team continued for another half-hour, leaving fans to wonder about the extent of McDavid’s situation.
Fortunately, Oilers head coach Kris Knoblauch was quick to put existing fears to rest. “He’ll be fine, no issues,” Knoblauch assured, offering the kind of confidence fans love to hear right before the big dance.
Adding to the positive news on the Oilers front was the sight of Connor Brown back on the ice. Although Brown wasn’t slotted into any regular lines—sporting a grey jersey as an extra—he joined a session with players like Max Jones and Derek Ryan.
Coach Knoblauch hinted at optimism for Brown’s readiness by Game 1. “You saw him on the ice, double-shifting.
I’m pretty sure and confident he’ll be fine for Game 1,” Knoblauch stated.
Brown's recent absence in the latter part of the Western Conference Final—missing all of Games 4 and 5 due to a hefty hit from Dallas Stars defenseman Alex Petrovic—left a noticeable gap. His return could be a significant boost for the Oilers as they prepare to face their next hurdle.
The team's practice didn’t feature any shifts in lines or defensive pairings from the setup that conquered the Western Conference Final. According to Oilers TV’s Tony Bray, we’re looking at an unchanged cast: Connor McDavid lined up with Ryan Nugent-Hopkins and Corey Perry, while Leon Draisaitl was flanked by Evander Kane and Kasperi Kapanen.
The third line saw Jeff Skinner together with Adam Henrique, and Trent Frederic on the opposite wing, with Mattias Janmark centering Vasily Podkolzin and Viktor Arvidsson on the fourth. Defensive units remained solid with Mattias Ekholm paired with Evan Bouchard at the top, supported by Darnell Nurse alongside Brett Kulak, and Jake Walman teaming up with John Klingberg.
As we edge closer to Wednesday night’s Stanley Cup Final opener, with the puck drop set for 6:00 pm MT, the Oilers' faithful can breathe a little easier. With McDavid expected to be fit, and Brown likely back in the mix, the team seems poised and ready to make a strong statement on home ice. Let the quest for the Cup begin!
