<p>St. Louis Blues' Tyler Tucker (75) tries to defend against Edmonton Oilers' Connor McDavid (97) during second period NHL action in Edmonton on Wednesday, April 9, 2025. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Jason Franson</p>

EDMONTON - Connor McDavid couldn’t have come back to the Edmonton Oilers at a more opportune time — or in a much more dramatic fashion.

McDavid returned after missing eight games with a lower-body ailment and netted three assists, including on the dramatic game winner in the dying seconds, as the injury-riddled Oilers edged the red-hot St. Louis Blues 4-3 on Wednesday. 

The victory moved Edmonton (45-28-5) within a hair of clinching a playoff spot. 

McDavid wasn't expected to make his return on Wednesday, but with eight other regular players out, the Oilers were looking at having to play two players short and the captain opted to see just how game ready he was.

“I wasn’t taking anyone’s spot,” he said. “I thought it was an opportunity and if it was no good, take a couple shifts and if it is no good, come off.

“Obviously, it felt good. No problems.”

Late in the third period, McDavid — who had just emerged from the penalty box — took the puck behind the St. Louis net and sent a backhand pass out front to Connor Brown. The winger scored his second of the game and 11th of the season with just 21 seconds to play.

Brown said he wasn't surprised with how McDavid made his return.

“We kind of knew that he was itching to play. It was just a matter of if they let him,” he said. “I think he's the true embodiment of a captain. Unselfish, hard working, leads by example.”

Oilers head coach Kris Knoblauch admitted it was a calculated risk to have McDavid come back a little earlier than expected.

“He was really close, day to day. The plan was that he was going to play the following game on Friday,” he said. “He really felt that he was ready and wanted to play, especially with losing another centreman (Ryan Nugent-Hopkins to illness). 

"He felt he was ready and it was going to be as good as it was going to be. He really wanted to be in the lineup tonight. He wouldn’t have been cleared just because he felt like playing. The medical staff obviously felt he was in good hands and not create any more damage.”

The Oilers were missing a litany of players to injuries or illness on Wednesday, including the league’s leading goal scorer Leon Draisaitl (undisclosed). Also sidelined were forwards Nugent-Hopkins (illness), Trent Frederic (ankle) and Evander Kane (hip, knee), defencemen Mattias Ekholm (undisclosed), Jake Walman (undisclosed) and John Klingberg (lower body), and starting goalie Stuart Skinner (concussion).

“It was a difficult situation for our group as a whole,” McDavid said. “Guys coming in and out of the lineup, sick hurt, whatever it is. Short numbers, we had to go with five (defencemen.) It was a gutsy effort by them. It was kind of a crazy day for our group with not knowing who was going and whatnot. I was just happy to get in there.”

Vasily Podkolzin and Viktor Arvidsson also scored for the Oilers, who snapped a two-game losing skid.

“It was massive, obviously, and that’s what it is all about, guys stepping up,” McDavid said. “We’ve had different guys stepping up throughout this injury and sickness bug. A lot of guys are stepping up and playing good hockey and contributing. It hasn’t been easy, but I thought the guys have battled hard.”

McDavid said that he feels the Oilers will be ready and raring to go come post-season play.

“When the gun goes off we’ve got to be ready and I’m confident we will be,” he said.

McDavid's performance Wednesday moved him into rarefied company as he became the seventh player in the history of the NHL with at least five consecutive 65-assist seasons. The others are Wayne Gretzky (13), Bobby Orr (6), Guy Lafleur (6), Peter Stastny (6), Phil Esposito (5) and Adam Oates (5).

This report by The Canadian Press was first published April 9, 2025. 

News from © The Canadian Press, 2025