The Edmonton Oilers’ worst fears might be coming to fruition.
Connor McDavid, the No. 1 pick in the 2015 NHL draft and best prospect to enter the league since Wayne Gretzky, suffered an upper body injury in the Oilers’ home win over the Philadelphia Flyers on Tuesday night.
TSN’s Bob McKenzie reports it’s a fractured collarbone. The team is expected to announce the exact injury Wednesday morning.
Here’s the play where the injury happened.
McDavid has been as good as advertised in the first month of his pro career. He leads all rookies in scoring with 12 points (five goals, seven assists) in 13 games. His 18 minutes of ice time per game ranks third among rookie forwards.
For the Oilers, this injury, depending on how long the recovery time will be, could be the final blow to their playoff chances — which already were slim. McDavid is the team’s best offensive player and elevates the performance of his teammates. You can’t replace a center of his caliber.
Leon Draisaitl, the third overall pick in the 2014 draft, could shift to center in the top-six with McDavid out, but the Oilers haven’t even publicly committed to keeping him beyond the 10-game threshold for players to return to junior hockey.
On the bright side for Edmonton, a top-six winger could return from injury in the short term.
Thumbnail photo via Sergei Belski/USA TODAY Sports Images
