Edmonton Oilers fans have something to cheer about, even as Team Canada fell short in a nail-biting 2-1 overtime loss to Team USA in the gold-medal final of the Milano Cortina 2026 Olympic Winter Games. The silver lining? Their captain, Connor McDavid, is coming back home.
McDavid, who dazzled on the ice, was named the MVP of the tournament. With a record 11 assists and 13 points in just five games, he set a new standard for performance in a Winter Games featuring NHL players. His efforts earned him the title of best forward in this year’s men’s hockey event.
Oilers head coach Kris Knoblauch mentioned, "I don’t think he will leave immediately, but I think tomorrow is exactly when he joins the team. And when he’s ready to play, we’ll obviously have to have some conversations with him."
While McDavid was busy representing Canada, the rest of the Oilers had a 12-day break. Leon Draisaitl and Josh Samanski, also from the Oilers, played for Team Germany, who were knocked out in the quarter-finals by Team Slovakia.
The Oilers squad kept a close eye on their captain’s Olympic journey. Adam Henrique, fellow Canadian and Oilers forward, expressed, “Your heart breaks for him.
We know how much it means to him and how much he means to our team. But I think the world got a glimpse of how much he means to our group here.”
This was McDavid’s first Olympics, but he was no stranger to the international spotlight. Just last year, he scored the overtime winner for Team Canada in the Four Nation’s Face-Off final against Team USA.
This time, however, it was the Americans who celebrated, capturing Olympic gold for the first time since the iconic Miracle on Ice in 1980.
Oilers forward Trent Frederic, who hails from St. Louis, shared his thoughts: “I woke up early.
It was a great game to watch. I wish it would have been 5-on-5 at the end.
But it was a good game, pretty entertaining. It’s good Connor stayed healthy the whole tournament.
He should be proud of himself.”
With McDavid back, the Oilers aim to bounce back from a three-game losing streak as they gear up for the final stretch of the regular season. Their road trip kicks off against the Anaheim Ducks on Wednesday, followed by a matchup with the Los Angeles Kings. The return of their captain might just be the spark they need.