Connor McDavid returns to Oilers lineup, records 3 assists in win vs. Blues

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EDMONTON — It’s not like Connor McDavid was being senseless, but he did take a bit of a gamble.

His Edmonton Oilers were due to take on the St. Louis Blues on Wednesday two skaters short, with Ryan Nugent-Hopkins and Jake Walman out with an illness and injury, respectively. So, McDavid decided he needed to step up and help fill the void, even though he was initially scheduled to miss his ninth consecutive game with a lower-body injury.

“I wasn’t taking anyone’s spot, so I thought it was an opportunity,” McDavid said. “If you go out for a couple shifts and it’s no good, you come off.

“I felt good. There were no problems.”

It’s a good thing the Oilers had McDavid around against the Blues and everything went shipshape. It was about as triumphant a return to the lineup as one could imagine.

McDavid recorded three assists in a 4-3 win, the last one coming on Connor Brown’s second goal, scored with 20.4 seconds remaining.

“He’s a true embodiment of a captain — unselfish, hardworking, leads by example,” Brown said.

It was as if McDavid played the role of Superman emerging from a phone booth with his cape on. There was no mistaking what coach Kris Knoblauch said after the morning skate on Wednesday.

There were to be two lineup changes from Monday’s loss in Anaheim, the coach said. Nugent-Hopkins was out. Noah Philp, recalled on an emergency basis after the Oilers dressed just 17 skaters in the previous game, was in.

McDavid would continue to sit, part of a slew of absences including Leon Draisaitl, Mattias Ekholm, Stuart Skinner, Trent Frederic, John Klingberg and now Nugent-Hopkins. (Walman was still expected to play at that point.)

McDavid didn’t take part in the main portion of line rushes during the morning skate, which usually means a player isn’t in. However, he didn’t stay on the ice for extra work in the morning, a sign a player is preparing for a night’s work.

Nearly three hours before puck drop, The Athletic’s Chris Johnston was the first to report that McDavid would play against the Blues.

Walman deciding he couldn’t play only heightened McDavid’s sense of duty. Being two skaters short is bad at the best of times; the infirmary list and how close the playoffs are exacerbated the situation.

“Kind of a crazy day for our group with not knowing who’s going and whatnot,” McDavid said postgame. “I was just happy to get in there.”

Knoblauch said the initial plan was for McDavid to return Friday. But that plan went out the window.

“He felt he was ready and wanted to play, especially with Nuge (out) and losing another centreman,” Knoblauch said.

Connor McDavid became the seventh player in NHL history with at least five consecutive 65-assist seasons. The others: Wayne Gretzky (13), Peter Stastny (6), Guy Lafleur (6), Bobby Orr (6), Adam Oates (5) and Phil Esposito (5).#NHLStats: https://t.co/snX1Se5smm https://t.co/lHGZMw271s

— NHL Public Relations (@NHLPR) April 10, 2025

It’s not like the Oilers couldn’t use the boost to improve their lot in the standings. This was Game 77, and they still haven’t qualified for the postseason — even if that seems like only a formality. The Calgary Flames lost in overtime to the Ducks on Wednesday, meaning the Oilers need a single point to punch their ticket.

It doesn’t hurt to get McDavid going before the playoffs begin, either. Those three assists — two primary helpers on Brown’s goals and a secondary one on a Vasily Podkolzin marker — pushed him to 93 points on the season.

“I knew he’d be fine once he got in the lineup,” Brown said. “We’ve been practicing with him. Him at three-quarters speed is faster than all of us and the way he’s crossing over. I don’t think there was any concern with his ability when he got into the lineup.”

All’s well that ends well, as the saying goes. But the subtext of the postgame conversation was that McDavid’s return wasn’t without risk.

Knoblauch made a point to mention McDavid was medically cleared to play. But McDavid saying he could have bowed out if something wasn’t right suggested there was at least some throwing caution to the wind.

That’s adding danger to the mix, especially with Draisaitl getting hurt in his third game after returning from injury and Frederic lasting barely seven minutes in his Oilers debut when he wasn’t supposed to play.

“You can never be foolproof,” Knoblauch said. “You can’t know everything. (McDavid) felt that he was in a good position that he could play and not make it worse. Of course, it could have happened, but we felt that he was in a pretty good position to play.”

McDavid’s sterling return was excellent for an Oilers team that needed some positive news on the health front. Klingberg was added to LTIR on Wednesday, which clears cap space in case Walman is out longer and the Oilers need to recall another defenceman. Knoblauch said the Oilers might do just that.

The problem is the AHL’s Bakersfield Condors’ absentee list is longer than the Oilers’, and Philp and Olivier Rodrigue are already with the big club. (Rodrigue should be heading back to the minors with Skinner slated to return Friday.)

Three defencemen on NHL contracts — Cam Dineen, Connor Carrick and Ron Attard — were in the Condors lineup Wednesday. Travis Dermott and Josh Brown, two blueliners with extensive big-league experience, haven’t played since Jan. 26 and March 7, respectively.

The Oilers have enough personnel problems that they can’t afford to risk another injury.

“Massive obviously & that’s what it’s about… We’ve had different guys step up throughout this kind of injury & sickness bug. A lot of guys are stepping up, playing good hockey & contributing.”

Connor McDavid on Connor Brown’s two-goal game.@Enterprise | #LetsGoOilers pic.twitter.com/mQ2scNhKPd

— Edmonton Oilers (@EdmontonOilers) April 10, 2025

It’s also clear that McDavid’s decision was his call as much as it was the organization’s.

This isn’t the first time Knoblauch passed along information about McDavid that quickly became incorrect. He said on March 30 that McDavid wasn’t going to join the team at the start of the upcoming road trip, but the captain was on the plane with his teammates when it left Edmonton the next day.

McDavid pushed hard on the ice and made every effort to return as quickly as possible. He reiterated that desire on Wednesday. He felt he needed to play.

“It’s tough. It’s that time of year where there aren’t many practices,” McDavid said. “I’ve been skating by myself. I don’t know how many more tight turns I can do before you’ve just got to go.

“Coming back from injury sucks for any athlete, but especially in hockey. It’s so unpredictable. There’s so many variables, things you can’t account for. It was nice to get that out of the way, mentally.”

The Oilers needed McDavid against the Blues. He hadn’t played since March 20, and he said he felt like he missed three weeks. Still, he looked mostly like his usual self in 20:35 of work.

There are now just four games left in the regular season. This Oilers team has to start coming together sooner than later.

“It’s obviously not ideal timing, but we’re a good team,” McDavid said. “We’ll figure it out.”

He wanted to get the ball rolling — even if the situation presented its share of doubts.

(Photo: Walter Tychnowicz / Imagn Images)

This news was originally published on this post .

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