The Edmonton Oilers got potentially great news on Tuesday as Connor McDavid and other key players took the ice in the team’s morning skate. Considering that McDavid wasn’t even pegged to start on the Oilers road trip, that he was skating, along with Trent Frederic and Evander Kane, was a fantastic sign.
It is not expected that any of these players will be in the lineup ahead of the Oilers’ Tuesday evening matchup against the Vegas Golden Knights. But with some uncertainty surrounding their injury timelines, the Oilers and their fans have to be elated.
While McDavid was wearing a grey non-contact jersey, his joining Edmonton on the road and taking the ice suggest that progress in his recovery is showing positive signs. A lower-body injury has sidelined him for the past four games,, and word from the coach this weekend had more than a few fans concerned.
McDavid wasn’t the only key name skating with the group. Frederic skated for the first time with his new teammates, and Evander Kane continues to look good. The Oilers hope he’ll be ready for Game 1 of the playoffs.
Some Important Oilers Remain Out of Action
Mattias Ekholm remains absent from the lineup and did not skate with the team. He is dealing with a nagging issue that is keeping him out. If he remains out, that’s a big loss for Edmonton, despite the fact the team added depth to their blue line this season. His potential return will be a crucial part of their final playoff push, particularly in determining whether he’ll resume his usual pairing with Evan Bouchard.
Stuart Skinner is also out. Calvin Pickard and Olivier Rodrigue were in net at practice, and this tandem could start and finish the entire road trip.
The Oilers continue to adjust their lineup while awaiting the return of their stars. Leon Draisaitl, Viktor Arvidsson, and Vasily Podkolzin were the team’s top line at practice, and they were quite effective against the Calgary Flames on Saturday.
