The Edmonton Oilers will soon embark on another NHL playoff journey after their gut-wrenching loss to the Florida Panthers in Game 7 of the Stanley Cup Final last season.
As they look to get back to the Final and finish the job this year, there has been much concern over the team's health. Entering Monday night's game against the Los Angeles Kings, the Oilers were already locked into a first-round playoff matchup against them.
However, home ice had yet to be determined. A Kings win and an Oilers loss would ensure Edmonton traveled to Crypto.com Arena for Game 1.
The Oilers played without Connor McDavid, Leon Draisaitl, Zach Hyman, Jake Walman, Trent Frederic, Mattias Ekhollm, and Troy Stetcher, as all of them have been banged up at some point over the last month.
On Tuesday, one day after Edmonton's 5-0 loss to Los Angeles, McDavid spoke to the media and responded to all the media attention regarding the team's injuries. The three-time Hart Trophy winner said the Oilers are "ready to roll," and he doesn't like how "people are counting us out."
"I don't like this whole notion that we're the walking wounded here. We’re ready to roll...," McDavid said. "I don’t like the theory that people are counting us out. We’re a great team here. We’ve had bumps and bruises along the way here, but we’re a dangerous team when we’re rolling and we’re healthy. I think you’ll see that over the next little while, and we’re looking forward to showing that."
McDavid was also dealing with an injury (lower-body) not long ago, missing eight games from March 20 to April 9. His absence on Monday night was due to rest after playing in the team's prior three games.
"I’ve felt, personally, night and day better from before the injury just in terms of rest," McDavid added. "Not getting a break for the 4 Nations (Face-Off, in February), which I’m not complaining about at all, I feel night and day better since the injury."
When Game 1 against the Kings rolls around, the Oilers are expected to have all of those absent players back except Mattias Ekholm, with Frederic still listed as questionable.
