EDMONTON, AB – Connor McDavid will make his return to the lineup ahead of schedule on Wednesday night when the Edmonton Oilers face the Golden Knights at Rogers Place.
"I feel good," McDavid mentioned. "I'm looking forward to going and getting back in there."
McDavid suffered an ankle injury in the opening minute of last Monday's defeat in Columbus and was given a two-to-three-week timetable to recover, but after spending this morning's pre-game skate on the top line and confirming his availability with the media, the captain is poised to complete his recovery in only 10 days ahead of tonight's important Pacific Division battle against the Golden Knights.
"It's very important to get Connor back in our lineup," Head Coach Kris Knoblauch said. "We're playing one of the best teams right now. They're playing extremely well, scoring a lot of goals, and to get your number one center back in the lineup is a huge boost for us because we know it's going to be a big test tonight."
On Saturday, the Oilers also visit Vancouver for a rematch of their 2024 Second Round series against the Canucks – another game he didn't want to miss – and McDavid is confident he can carry forward into these next two pivotal matches without any limitations.
"Two games that I certainly wanted to be a part of, but not the deciding factor for sure," he said. "You'd rather miss these ones in November than later in the year, but ultimately, I'm going to get to play and I'm looking forward to it. They're two great teams. Obviously, tonight with Vegas, they're a great team with great D-men and are strong up the middle. They're always a good challenge for us."
