The Edmonton Oilers are feeling tense as Connor McDavid deals with a tough back-to-back game starting Wednesday night.
Since the captain is arriving in Anaheim late on Tuesday, his readiness for the game is still uncertain, according to the latest updates from the team.
This is a rare situation for the Edmonton team, which heavily depends on its top players to score.
Knoblauch is keeping his plans a secret for now.
A question from @SportsnetSpec about @cmcdavid97 playing Wednesday was answered with, “There is a lot up in the air.” This includes Connor, who is landing in Anaheim tonight.
The main worry comes from the challenging schedule and the travel that comes with it.
Balancing how much playtime a superstar gets is always tricky, but choosing to sit the best player around is a huge decision.
If McDavid cannot play, the pressure shifts to the other players to step up their scoring.
Oilers Preparing for Life without 97
The defense has to stay strong if the team misses its main scorer. Edmonton has looked good lately, but losing a player like McDavid can change the whole game plan.
Leon Draisaitl would likely have to play a lot more minutes to fill the void.
The Oilers are currently fighting for playoff spots, which makes every game on this trip crucial.
Losing to a rival team because the captain was watching from the sidelines wouldn’t be well received by the fans.
However, the most important thing is keeping the franchise player healthy in the long run.
McDavid is probably eager to join his teammates on the ice and move on from everything that happened at the Olympics to just focus on playing hockey again.
There’s a refreshing feeling about the hard work in the NHL, with the usual habits, the same people around, and the clear goal of preparing for the next shift.
For a player like McDavid, the top way to progress is to keep skating, competing, and showing his skills, returning with more energy and aiming for quick results.
Look for a final update after the morning practice. Knoblauch understands he needs his top player at full strength for the important games ahead.
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