Connor McDavid back in Oilers lineup tonight after Olympics; what he said after losing gold
Photo credit: Sergei Belski-Imagn Images
Connor McDavid missed practice Tuesday but will suit up for the Oilers on Wednesday and made note of how he felt regarding the loss in Canada's gold medal game.
Yesterday (Feb 24) Connor McDavid was absent from Edmonton's practice, while many thought he would be out for their return game Wednesday.
Update (Feb 25, 2:46 PM ET): Connor McDavid returns to the Oilers after missing practice and commented on his gold medal loss:
I mean I thought we played well, enough to win. Their goalie made some big saves and we missed some chances, so uhh, it's disappointing. No way around it, it sucks but the overall experience was good and it was a special group to be a part of and it's something I'll cherish for a lifetime.
As Team Canada comes away with a silver medal from the 2026 Olympics, the players are now focused on finishing the rest of the NHL season, most notably Connor McDavid -- who couldn't get it done yet again in the championship game.
But he's still got a chance with the Oilers and with a wide open Pacific Division, there. is a good chance that with a strong push and some luck along the way, they could make their third straight Stanley Cup Finals appearance.
McDavid misses practice as injury concerns loom
Though if the team wanted to get off on the right foot, they may have to do without their captain.
McDavid was absent from Oilers practice on Tuesday and there is no update as to what his status will be when the Oilers take on the Anaheim Ducks:
Though the Oilers will still have the likes of Leon Draisaitl in the lineup, it could be a case of Edmonton making sure there is nothing serious going on with their superstar.
Oilers seriously can't afford to lose McDavid
McDavid was seen with a taped up hand as he was doing the ceremonial handshake as well as when he received his medal, so there could be an indication that something is bothering him. He did take a bit of a nasty slash to the hand against Team USA so it's possibly related to that incident.
But they will for sure miss him if he's out. Fresh off an Olympics MVP and best forward award, his record-breaking tournament will unfortunately be overshadowed by his gold medal loss.
In 58 games, the phenom has 96 points (34 goals, 62 assists) and is on pace to hit 136 points -- the most since the 2022-23 season. If he were to miss then hopefully it's just for a maintenance day or else the Oilers could be in serious trouble.
We will have to wait and see what head coach Kris Knoblauch has to say about McDavid after he has a better idea of what's going on, but if things aren't smooth with their captain then it's certainly a bumpier ride than they were expecting.
Also read on Hockey Patrol :
Brad Marchand's postgame comment about Sidney Crosby after gold medal loss draws reaction
Brad Marchand's postgame comment about Sidney Crosby after gold medal loss draws reaction
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FEVRIER 24|646 ANSWERS Connor McDavid back in Oilers lineup tonight after Olympics; what he said after losing gold Will Connor McDavid miss extended time for Edmonton? | ||
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| No | 408 | 63.2 % |
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