A big announcement about the two-heads monster in Edmonton
Barely three days after the heart-wrenching defeat of the Edmonton Oilers following their comeback to force the ultimate game in the Stanley Cup Final against the Florida Panthers, Connor McDavid was not playing at 100% of his capacity.
Edmonton's head coach, Kris Knoblauch, confirmed the rumor that had been circulating for a few days. Even though Ken Holland's departure was the topic of the day in Edmonton, Knoblauch's statements surprised many.
Connor McDavid indeed played injured in the Stanley Cup Final!
There were questions about the health of the two-headed monster, as they were quiet in the last two games against Paul Maurice's men. The question about the health status of Leon Draisaitl and Connor McDavid was asked directly.
It was suspected that Leon Draisaitl was also severely impaired.
Leon Draisaitl had injuries to his ribs and a hand. Some nights, it was uncertain if he would be able to play."
- Patrick Henri, Radio-Canada
In McDavid's case, some sources mention a possible surgery during the summer, indicating it is serious enough. Like his German teammate, the Oilers' captain was limited in the crucial final game.
Another testament to how much of a warrior 29 is.
Mentioned ribs & hand injuries."
- Tony Brar
He still managed to play in all the games.
"There were games we weren't sure he could play. But he always did."
- Via Mark Spector
To listen to the full excerpt of Kris Knoblauch's press conference, you can do so here!
At 27 years old, Connor McDavid had an exceptional performance, amassing 42 points in 23 games during the 2024 playoffs, including 11 points in 7 games in the Stanley Cup Final series.
Aged 28, Leon Draisaitl collected 30 points in 23 games during the 2024 playoffs, including 3 points in 7 games in the Stanley Cup Final series. Clearly, he wasn't himself. His pace of over a point per game might have helped his team finally clinch a long-awaited Stanley Cup.
Even injured, Connor McDavid was spectacular in the 2024 playoffs. In addition to breaking a record set by the great Wayne Gretzky, McDavid won the Conn Smythe Trophy. Number 97 became the sixth player to win the honor on a losing team.
Players like Zach Hyman, Ryan Nugent-Hopkins, Darnell Nurse, and Evan Bouchard failed to step up for the Oilers despite the injuries to their leaders.
It's truly impressive.
| POLL | ||
According to you, would McDavid have beat the record of 47 points in the same playoffs by Gretzky without injury? | ||
| Yes | 224 | 71.8 % |
| No | 88 | 28.2 % |
| List of polls | ||
