EDMONTON — Connor McDavid is injured, a news item that lands in this market like a spaceship docking on 101st St. and Jasper Ave.
But underneath what is being described by the coach as a “lower-body injury” that leaves McDavid’s status as “day to day,” lies the bigger set of questions for the Edmonton Oilers:
How should this last punishing stretch of six games in nine days be approached? If they’re resting McDavid because they have to, why aren’t they resting the remainder of the core players rotationally, just because they want to?
And one last one: If passing the Vancouver Canucks for first place in the Pacific Division does not even guarantee Edmonton a preferred Round 1 opponent, why would the Oilers spend the next nine days chasing that goal, when they could be comfortably preparing for the playoffs with second place wrapped up?
What’s the priority here?
Games 77-82? Or Round 1 of the post-season?
“The most important thing is playoffs and that we are ready,” confirmed Knoblauch. “We want to make sure everyone’s healthy as much as possible going into playoffs.”
McDavid missed practice for the second day Tuesday, and though Knoblauch did not rule him out for Wednesday’s game against Vegas, it must be remembered that this organization has a history of misleading the media when it comes to a McDavid injury.
But, assuming there is no documentary forthcoming, as there was when he blew out a knee in Game 82 a few seasons back, we’d ask this question: If McDavid is truly not fixated on winning the Art Ross or Hart Trophies — which we believe to be true — then why would he play at all in this coming stretch of three games in four nights?
“There’s a fine line,” began Leon Draisaitl, who was speaking before the news on McDavid was made official. “We want to continue putting up points, continue to win and give ourselves a chance at winning the division. That being said, you don’t need to exhaust anybody going into Game 1 just because you have a chance at finishing first.
“But we have a lot of smart people in the organization, so I’m sure we’ll make the right decisions.”
For whatever reason, Edmonton has had games in hand on the entire field all season long. As a result, they wake up on Wednesday morning as the only playoff team in either Conference with six games still to play.
They are six points ahead of third place Los Angeles with a game in hand, a lead the Oilers likely aren’t going to blow. They sit five points back of the first place Canucks with two games in hand — and a home game against Vancouver set for Saturday night.
But here’s the real problem: Finish second in the Pacific and you’ll likely get L.A. — a team the Oilers are well versed in defeating — or perhaps Vegas. Finish first, and it’s Vegas, Nashville or the Kings.
Is the push for first really worth it when you have no clue what the reward would be, other than home-ice advantage for Rounds 1 and 2?
Zach Hyman says it is.
“We want to win the division if we can, and I think it’s pretty attainable right now,” Zach Hyman said. “It’s always good to have something to play for down the stretch … and it’s important to go into the playoffs playing your best.
“I think it’s important through those these last six games — even though it’s in a short window — that we go out there and we plan to play like what we’re going to do during the playoffs. You can’t just turn the switch on — it’s really, really important to have momentum going into playoffs.”
The Oilers called up Dylan Holloway, and the big, fast winger will get a couple of games as a bottom-six forward, we suspect. Knoblauch said he’d like to get defenceman Troy Stecher into a couple of games, and we suspect young Philip Broberg will be called up as well and given two games as well. He hasn’t played an NHL game since Nov. 22.
Now, Knoblauch has an issue at the top of his lineup as well, further complicating a complex window in a season that demands it be handled properly.
“As a coach, you always want your team to be ready for the playoffs and not take a step back,” he said. “It’s a very difficult situation on how hard you push and how badly you want to win and also protecting your team and preparing it for the playoffs.
“We’re just trying to win games and seeing how high we can climb in the standings. But we’re not going to sacrifice the health of anybody or push too hard that we’re not in an ideal situation heading into the playoffs.”
It all spells a second-place finish for the Oilers, and likely a first-round meeting with the Los Angeles Kings.
With McDavid getting as much rest as required between now and then.
