"One tough hockey player": Oilers' McDavid okay after scary net crash
Connor McDavid is good to go.
McDavid, who briefly left Monday’s 6-3 drubbing of the Pittsburgh Penguins after crashing into the opposition’s goal post, isn’t expected to miss any time for the Edmonton Oilers moving forwards.
McDavid injury pic.twitter.com/mwD34lHE5V
— Brady Trettenero (@BradyTrett) October 25, 2022
In other words, he’ll suit up when the Oilers face the St. Louis Blues on Wednesday.
“I expect that, yes,” Edmonton coach Jay Woodcroft confirmed to media Tuesday.
McDavid left the game at 3:31 of the second when was nudged into the goal post by Pittsburgh defender Jeff Petry, but did return later in the period.
“He looked pretty good to me this morning. Looked pretty good to me when he came back into the game last night,” Woodcroft said. “I don’t think the general public, when they talk about Connor, have a true understanding of how tough of a hockey player he is and the abuse that he endures because he’s willing to go into hard areas just night-in, night-out. Last night he went into the post, but he was driving the net hard in search of offence.”
"Everybody is together. You're having meals together. You're spending time together away from the rink."
Coach Woodcroft comments on the first #Oilers road trip of the season & also provides updates on McDavid & Holloway. pic.twitter.com/MgOCUbwoFc
— Edmonton Oilers (@EdmontonOilers) October 25, 2022
McDavid played 80 of 82 games in 2021-22, and participated in all 56 skates in the COVID-19 shortened season in 2020-21.
He logged 64 games in 71 opportunities in 2019-20.
“For me, I don’t think he gets enough credit for that and what he plays through just on a daily basis,” Woodcroft said. “He’s one tough hockey player, and you can see when your captain plays through things like that I think it resonates throughout the rest of the dressing room.”
Edmonton also got some encouraging non-McDavid injury news, too.
Dylan Holloway, who has missed three games because of an undisclosed ailment, is close to returning, too.
“I thought it was a real positive that he was in our skates today,” Woodcroft said. “He’s been in the last couple days, but today he had a little bit more. I think he’s close. I think he’s real close.”