Oilers stars McDavid, Draisaitl played through injuries in playoffs: coach
The sting of losing Game 7 of the Stanley Cup final lingered for the Edmonton Oilers on Wednesday.
While the deep playoff run capped a roller-coaster season for the team, the Oilers ultimately fell short of their goal when they were beaten 2-1 by the Florida Panthers on Monday, said centre Leon Draisaitl.
"It’s obviously disappointing, it’s frustrating," he said. "There’s only one team that can win, unfortunately. But I’m very proud of what we’ve been through this year.”
Getting over the loss will take time, added fellow Oilers Connor McDavid, who won the Conn Smythe Trophy as MVP of the playoffs.
“There were lots of happy moments throughout these playoffs, for sure," he said. "A lot of great moments that I’ll remember for the rest of my life.”
Both Draisaitl and McDavid were hampered by more than bumps and bruises during the post-season, Oilers head coach Kris Knoblauch revealed Wednesday.
He declined to comment on McDavid's undisclosed injury, saying he didn't have much information on the ailment. Evander Kane also played hurt, the coach said.
"Leon battled things throughout the playoffs — ribs, hands throughout the playoffs," Knoblauch said. "At certain times it was worse than others. There were games we weren’t sure he was going to play. But he fought through it and played very well in those games.
"And then Evander with the sports hernia, something that’s been bothering him throughout the season. And it got to the point where it just limited his game. And unfortunately, we missed him.”
Expectations for the Oilers were high heading into the campaign, but the team sputtered out of the gate and got off to a dismal 3-9-1 record.
The team fired head coach Jay Woodcroft in November and installed Knoblauch in his place. Soon after, the Oilers went on a 16-game win streak, flirting with an NHL record in the process.
“It was going to turn around no matter what. We had too good of players in that room to not score more goals and win more games," said forward Mattias Janmark. "But I think, also, to become the team that we thought we were and that we needed to be, we needed to start doing things a little bit better, too.”
Edmonton finished the regular season with a 49-27-6, good for second in the Pacific Division.
Several players hit major milestones, including McDavid, who contributed 100 assists, and winger Zach Hyman, who scored 54 goals.
McDavid led the playoffs with eight goals and 34 assists. The post-season's top four scorers were all Oilers — including Draisaitl, Hyman and defenceman Evan Bouchard.
“You often get defined on winning and winning that last game," Knoblauch said. "We were so close to winning it. I think there were so many positives throughout the season that we should be happy about."
One player who faced adversity throughout the campaign was Connor Brown. The 30-year-old forward signed a one-year deal with the Oilers in free agency last summer but struggled to get back to full health after knee surgery.
After putting up just four goals and eight assists in 71 regular-season appearances, Brown registered two goals and four assists in 19 playoff games.
“I plan on being that version of myself that the city got to see down the stretch right from the get-go," he said.
As a pending unrestricted free agent, Brown's future is unclear. But the Toronto native said he's hoping to sign with the Oilers once again.
“This is where I want to be. My heart’s here," he said. "It’s a really special place to play.”
Brown is one of 10 unrestricted free agents on Edmonton's roster, while the Oilers also have decisions to make on a pair of restricted free agents.
The club will also be able to sign extensions with some high-profile players starting Monday, including Draisaitl. But the German star said he hasn't thought extensively about his future.
"I’m obviously going to sit down with my agent here, talk to the Oilers, see what their plan is, see what my plan is and go from there," he said.
“I love being an Oiler more than anything.”
For now, Draisaitl and his teammates are simply taking time to process the highs and lows of their season.
The Oilers may not have won the Stanley Cup, but the team now believes they can get there, McDavid said.
"We’ve sat up here before and told you how bad we want to win and, looking back, we were miles away from it. And now we’re one shot away from it," the captain said. "The belief has never been higher, not only within (Draisaitl and I), but within that room, within everybody.”
This report by The Canadian Press was first published June 26, 2024.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
![](https://www.ctvnews.ca/polopoly_fs/1.6955136.1720438921!/httpImage/image.jpg_gen/derivatives/landscape_800/image.jpg)
Alice Munro's daughter says mom kept silent when stepfather sexually abused her
The youngest daughter of celebrated Canadian author Alice Munro has opened up about sexual abuse by her stepfather and the deep hurt she felt when her mother chose to support her husband instead of her child.
France's Macron keeps prime minister in place for 'stability of the country' after chaotic election
French President Emmanuel Macron refused the resignation Monday of the country’s prime minister, asking him on Monday to remain temporarily as the head of the government after chaotic election results left the government in limbo.
Novice northern Ont. driver charged with stunt driving, fleeing police on Hwy. 11 while allegedly impaired
A 31-year-old man from Milford Bay is facing multiple charges following a traffic stop last week.
A major Russian missile attack on Ukraine kills at least 28 people and hits a children's hospital
A major Russian missile attack across Ukraine killed at least 28 people and injured almost 100 on Monday, officials said, with one missile striking a large children’s hospital in the capital, Kyiv, where emergency crews searched the rubble for casualties.
Beryl makes landfall in Texas as a Category 1 hurricane, knocking out power to more than 1 million
Power outages are mounting along the Texas coast after Beryl came ashore Monday and lashed Houston with heavy rains and powerful winds as the storm moved inland.
No music, dimmed lights help shoppers during sensory-friendly hours at retailers
The subdued atmosphere is all part of a sensory-friendly experience Walmart Canada recently launched every Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday at its 403 stores in a bid to make shopping trips easier for people who have disabilities, who are sensitive to busied environments, or who are just looking for a quieter retail experience.
Ottawa councillor, residents condemn arrival of 'hateful' group Diagolon 'Terror Tour'
A community group and an Ottawa city councillor have come forward to condemn the arrival of the far-right group Diagolon after it brought its 'Road Rage Terror Tour' to Ottawa over the weekend.
Snap election unlikely in Canada as European campaigns send incumbents packing
With international examples of snap elections sending incumbents packing, the federal Conservatives maintaining a healthy lead in national polling, and speculation over whether Trudeau ought to resign, it seems less likely the Liberals will want to roll those particular dice again.
Boeing accepts a plea deal to avoid a criminal trial over 737 Max crashes, U.S. Justice Department says
Boeing will plead guilty to a criminal fraud charge stemming from two crashes of 737 Max jetliners that killed 346 people after the government determined the company violated an agreement that had protected it from prosecution for more than three years, the U.S. Justice Department said Sunday night.