Oilers superstars McDavid, Draisaitl out at least a week with injuries

Caprice St. Pierre · The Canadian Press

· Posted: Mar 21, 2025 6:30 PM EDT | Last Updated: 10 minutes ago

The Edmonton Oilers mislaid some a crippled and different superstar Thursday, falling 4-3 successful overtime to the Winnipeg Jets aft Connor McDavid near with a lower-body injury.

McDavid exited pursuing a second-period collision with Jets defenceman Josh Morrissey.

The Oilers were already without NHL-leading extremity scorer Leon Draisaitl (lower body). Edmonton manager Kris Knoblauch said Friday that some players volition apt beryllium retired astatine slightest a week.

"I'd accidental day-to-day, possibly a week [for McDavid] and Leon aforesaid benignant of timeline," Knoblauch said. "They'll beryllium astir apt retired up to a week."

The Oilers besides mislaid starting goaltender Stuart Skinner precocious successful the 3rd play against the Jets, but Knoblauch said helium volition beryllium disposable Saturday against the Seattle Kraken.

Skinner was pulled by the concussion spotter, a determination Knoblauch said post-game helium would not person made. Skinner besides disagreed with the decision.

"Stu is good and eligible to play time night," added Knoblauch.

Draisaitl, who leads the league with 49 goals, was wounded Tuesday successful Edmonton's 7-1 triumph implicit Utah. He showed immoderate discomfort but finished the game.

"They re-evaluated and figured retired it was much than they anticipated," Knoblauch said connected Draisaitl's injury.

The Oilers person 12 disposable forwards and are incapable to beforehand idiosyncratic from Bakersfield successful the American Hockey League owed to headdress abstraction ($175,560 US), unless it is an exigency call-up.

"So close now, we person our players, and we don't person the enactment to telephone up," Knoblauch said.

Veteran guardant Derek Ryan, who was called up Tuesday but hasn't played, volition apt slot into the lineup Saturday.

Stepping up

The Oilers battled backmost Thursday nighttime contempt the setbacks, tying the crippled successful the 3rd play acknowledgment to goals from Jeff Skinner and Zach Hyman.

Knoblauch was impressed with the team's effect without McDavid.

"We're precise assured with the squad that we have," helium said. "Players that tin measurement up and play bigger responsibilities than they person antecedently this season.

"I thought determination was a large effort by truthful galore of our guys. There's nary quit, and we're gonna request much of that."

Jeff Skinner, a erstwhile 40-goal scorer, stepped up by scoring doubly successful a bigger role.

"It was lone a substance of clip earlier helium enactment the puck successful the net," Knoblauch said.

Skinner has been a steadfast scratch respective times this play aft signing arsenic a escaped cause successful the summer.

The 32-year-old has 13 goals successful 59 games this season.

"He's done it truthful galore times, and we request them," Knoblauch said. "Especially close present with the injuries that we have, we'll request guys stepping up. And he's 1 of those guys we'll beryllium looking to play a large role."

Evander Kane, connected semipermanent injured reserve aft undergoing abdominal country successful September and genu country successful January, is backmost skating with the team.

For now, helium has been practicing successful tiny groups and participating successful airy skates, but his progression seems "optimistic," according to Knoblauch.

"He'll beryllium joining regular practices, and you cognize he's been putting successful the enactment and getting acceptable to play, and hopefully sometime during the playoffs, he's disposable for us," helium said.

"He's a world-class athlete, world-class player. Last year, helium battled done a batch of injuries and present surgeries. Hopefully, helium tin beryllium steadfast and acceptable for us. Obviously, helium could marque a immense interaction connected our team."