Oilers expect Connor McDavid to be ready for playoffs

Edmonton Oilers fans can breathe a sigh of relief.

The team expects that captain Connor McDavid will be ready for Round 1 of the Stanley Cup Playoffs, as reported by Sportsnet’s Elliotte Friedman on Hockey Night in Canada’s ‘Saturday Headlines’ segment.

“The Oilers say he will be ready for the playoffs and it will be up to McDavid this week to decide how he wants to handle, and whether he’s well enough to handle the three final games of the regular season,” Friedman said.

McDavid will miss Saturday’s game against the Vancouver Canucks with a lower-body injury, the third straight contest he’s missed.

The Oilers captain did skate on Friday, the first time he has skated since last Saturday’s 4-2 win in Calgary when the injury appeared to happen.

“I feel good. I feel good,” McDavid said after Edmonton’s morning skate on Saturday. “Probably won’t go tonight, but I feel good.

“I never want to miss games, I really don’t. It’s frustrating. At the end of the day we’re after bigger things here. Everyone being healthy is priority No. 1.”

McDavid is third in the league in points with 130 and leads the NHL with 99 assists.

Saturday’s game against the Canucks is an important one for both clubs. The Oilers trail the Canucks for the Pacific Division lead by just three points with a game in hand.

Saturday’s Oilers-Canucks game can be seen at 10 p.m. ET / 7 p.m. PT on Sportsnet and Sportsnet+.