McDavid welcome addition in return from suspension, but coach wants Oilers to maintain momentum

Connor McDavid stands between Edmonton Oilers teammates Noah Philp, left, and Jeff Skinner during the NHL team's morning skate on Jan. 27, 2025. (Credit: TSN)

When a National Hockey League team’s best player returns to the lineup – and not just any team or player in the case of the fourth-overall Edmonton Oilers and their NHL/world best skater Connor McDavid - he’s more than welcome.

But head coach Kris Knoblauch hopes the addition of McDavid boosts the Oilers' momentum instead of retracting from it.

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“It’s a nice addition, to say the least, but when you add that player, often what happens is players take a step back – ‘Oh, we got our player back; we don’t have to play as good’ – and collectively, everyone else takes a step back because you’re getting your best player back,” Knoblauch told media after the team’s morning skate Monday ahead of their 7:30 p.m. game against the visiting Seattle Kraken (22-25-3).

“It’s important that everyone plays at that high level and doesn’t just take for granted that we are getting Connor back.”

The Oilers (31-15-3) have now won 10 of their last 13 games – and two of their most-recent three matches without superstar McDavid, who will return to the lineup Monday night after serving a three-game suspension for cross-checking Vancouver Canucks forward Conor Garland a week ago.

Thursday’s 6-2 win over the Canucks was a statement game of sorts for the Oilers, who avenged a loss to Vancouver five nights earlier in dominant fashion. They were led by Zach Hyman, who had two goals and an assist, and Leon Draisaitl, with a goal and two assists, as Edmonton stopped a two-game skid.

Draisaitl has scored at least one point in 22 of his last 24 games, recording 42 points over that stretch, for the most-points scored by an NHL player since Dec. 5.

McDavid said the Oilers have been playing well defensively but feels there are times when the team struggles to create scoring chances.

“I feel like it’s something that, for some reason, that this group has struggled with kind of all year, you know, but defensively, we’re as solid as we’ve been since I’ve been here,” said McDavid, adding he’s “antsy” and “excited” to return to the Oilers' lineup.

He said his teammates “played great” over the last week.

“I don’t think that’s surprising,” McDavid said. “Everyone loves to talk about how the team plays when I’m not there, but the team plays well. We’re a good team no matter who’s in the lineup.”

Refined points

- Goalie Calvin Pickard is starting against the Kraken with starter Stuart Skinner and his wife Chloe expecting the birth of their second child. Knoblauch said the team doesn’t yet know if Skinner will be available to dress;

- Jeff Skinner, who scored a goal against his former Buffalo Sabres team Saturday in a 3-2 Oilers win, is a healthy scratch for Monday’s game;

- Alec Regula skated with the team Monday morning for the first time since being claimed off waivers Dec. 11 from the Boston Bruins. Regula, 24, started the season on the Bruins' injured non-roster list after having knee surgery.

Projected Oilers lineup

Forward

Leon Draisaitl • Connor McDavid • Zach Hyman

Vasily Podkolzin • Adam Henrique • Viktor Arvidsson

Mattias Janmark • Ryan Nugent-Hopkins • Connor Brown

Corey Perry • Noah Philp • Kasperi Kapanen

Defence

Mattias Ekholm • Evan Bouchard

Darnell Nurse • Troy Stecher

Brett Kulak • Ty Emberson

Goal

Calvin Pickard • Stuart Skinner