The Edmonton Oilers are limping into the 2025 Stanley Cup Playoffs — however they nonetheless have the perfect participant on the planet in Connor McDavid. And the famous person believes his squad has what it takes to make one other deep postseason run this spring.
“I don’t like the idea that persons are counting us out,” McDavid mentioned on Tuesday, per NHL.com’s Derek Van Diest. “We’re a terrific group right here. We’ve had bumps and bruises alongside the best way right here, however we’re a harmful group after we’re rolling and we’re wholesome. I feel you’ll see that over the subsequent few minutes and we’re wanting ahead to exhibiting that.”
The Oilers have needed to cope with a number of accidents to key gamers down the stretch, together with McDavid and fellow famous person Leon Draisaitl, who’ve each missed time with separate illnesses.
However McDavid made it clear he is totally wholesome forward of a fourth consecutive Spherical 1 matchup with the Los Angeles Kings.
“I’ve felt, personally, evening and day higher from earlier than the harm simply when it comes to relaxation,” McDavid mentioned after lacking eight video games with a lower-body ailment. “Not getting a break for the 4 Nations Face-Off, in February, which I’m not complaining about in any respect, I really feel evening and day higher because the harm.”
Edmonton hasn’t been totally wholesome since March 4. Together with McDavid and Draisaitl, the group has missed Zach Hyman, Trent Frederic, Mattias Ekholm, Jake Walman and Troy Stecher for numerous durations all through the final month-and-a-half.
Head coach Kris Knoblauch mentioned earlier this week that nearly everybody is anticipated to play in Recreation 1 towards the Kings, besides Ekholm, who has been dominated out for the complete sequence. The blue liner has missed 13 of 17 video games since March 4.
“I want I might spin that one for you, but it surely’s clearly disappointing,” McDavid mentioned of shedding arguably the group’s most necessary defenseman. “There’s no approach round that. Clearly, we’ll miss him for a little bit bit. However that being mentioned, he’s going to do the whole lot he can to get wholesome every time which may be. He’s a terrific participant, does the whole lot proper, possibly the perfect all-around defenseman there may be. He’s an enormous loss.”
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Oilers might be underdogs towards Kings in Spherical 1
After simply dispatching the Kings in 5 video games within the first spherical of the 2024 Stanley Cup Playoffs — and marching all the best way to Recreation 7 of the Finals afterwards — the Oilers may not be the favorites this 12 months.
Los Angeles is wanting potent, with Darcy Kuemper taking part in a few of the greatest hockey of his profession between the pipes and the group scoring prolifically in entrance of him. The Kings have gained 4 video games in a row and eight of their final 10, and have opened up a six-point lead on the Oilers within the Pacific Division.
Regardless of not having home-ice benefit this time round, Edmonton has crushed LA in three consecutive Spherical 1 matchups, and are laser-focused on making one other deep run in 2025.
“Guys are more healthy than it might appear,” McDavid advised Van Diest. “I feel guys have sort of this aura about us that we’re the strolling wounded, however we’re simply nice. Everyone goes to be able to roll, all people is doing no matter they will to be again.”
Recreation 1 between the Oilers and Kings is slated for this weekend at Crypto.com Area in Los Angeles.