Greg WyshynskiESPNOct 22, 2023, 2:08 am ET2 minutes read
Edmonton Oilers star Connor McDavid was injured in a 3-2 overtime loss at home to the Winnipeg Jets on Saturday night.
McDavid’s final shift of the game came with 4:20 left in the third period. He could be seen reaching for his side during a rush up the ice. McDavid’s last two shifts lasted 33 and 34 seconds, respectively, which equates to a player averaging 56 seconds per shift.
McDavid remained on the bench in overtime, leaving Edmonton without last season’s NHL MVP. Jets center Mark Scheifele scored a game-winning goal for Winnipeg at 3:53 of overtime, dropping the Oilers to 1-3-1 on the season.
Oilers coach Jay Woodcroft said after the game that he had not spoken to the team’s trainers about McDavid and expected to have more news about the injury on Sunday.
“It didn’t seem to be anything…it seemed to be muscular more than anything else.” [else]said Woodcroft.
McDavid is second on the Oilers with eight points in five games, including two goals. They could have used him in overtime: McDavid was second in the NHL in overtime goals scored (8) over the last five seasons.
For Edmonton, the loss to the Jets (0-2-3-0) was the continuation of a troubling start for a team that was one of the Stanley Cup favorites in the preseason. The Oilers led 2-0 in the first period on goals from defensemen Darnell Nurse and Evan Bouchard – both assisted by McDavid – but lost in overtime.
“It feels like every mistake we make ends up in the net,” said center Leon Draisaitl, who also assisted on those goals. “It’s very frustrating. Our plan was to get off to a good start. And we didn’t succeed.”