McDavid Shines as Oilers Clinch Playoff Spot Amid Storm of Injuries
You’ve got to hand it to Connor McDavid—when the moment demands greatness, he shows up like clockwork. The Edmonton Oilers punched their ticket to the Stanley Cup Playoffs with a 4-2 win over the San Jose Sharks, and while the result was what they needed, it’s how they got there that has everyone talking. McDavid, just back from injury himself, didn’t waste any time making his presence known. He racked up four assists in that game alone, right after putting up three helpers against the St. Louis Blues earlier in the week. It's classic McDavid—fast, precise, and unstoppable when it counts.
But here’s the twist: while the win clinched a postseason berth for the Oilers for the sixth straight year, they’re limping across the finish line. Injuries are piling up, and it’s not just fringe players. Leon Draisaitl, a Hart Trophy candidate, has been out with a lower-body issue, and the Oilers lost both Zach Hyman and Mattias Ekholm mid-game against the Sharks. Hyman had already been nursing something, and Ekholm was fresh off a return from a previous injury—only to leave again after just three shifts.
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Head coach Kris Knoblauch is trying to keep things calm, but you can tell there’s concern. He admits one of the two might not be ready for Game 1 of the playoffs, though he wouldn’t say who. Meanwhile, players like Corey Perry are echoing a familiar theme—next man up. That’s what it’s going to take. The Oilers finished this regular season stretch with only 11 forwards and five defensemen healthy enough to suit up, and there are still three games left to hopefully get some bodies back.
The goaltending situation isn’t much clearer either. Stuart Skinner is back and expected to start two of the last three games, but Calvin Pickard has held things down in his absence and might have the hot hand going into the postseason. Knoblauch has left the door wide open, saying they’ll go with whoever gives them the best shot to win when Game 1 rolls around.
Even Evander Kane’s status is in the air. He hasn’t played all season, and with the playoffs just around the corner, no one's certain if he’ll be ready. And then there's the likes of Ryan Nugent-Hopkins and Jake Walman—also missing time recently but expected to return before the playoffs begin.
So yeah, it’s been a grind for Edmonton. They were flying earlier in the season, near the top of the NHL standings, but since late January, it’s been anything but smooth. Still, with McDavid back in top form, there’s always a reason to believe. If he keeps playing like this—and if Draisaitl returns in time—the Oilers could still be a serious threat. But make no mistake: they’re heading into the playoffs a little bruised, a little uncertain, and very much tested.
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