3 days Ago By Jim Matheson
Article content Connor McDavid watched the possible 2025 first-overall draft pick Matthew Schaefer crash into the post against Latvia and break his clavicle in Canada’s second game at the U20 World Juniors, and No. 97 knows how the teenager feels. McDavid did the same thing in November 2015 as an 18-year-old when he slammed into the end boards in a violent collision with Philly’s Brandon Manning.
McDavid had surgery and missed three months—same timeline for the defenceman Schaefer, who also plays junior for Erie Otters, McDavid’s old OHL team. “Obviously he’s a great skater and he’s going a million miles a minute and runs into the post there. Unfortunate.
Those things happen. He’s young; he’ll heal well but it’s extremely disappointing playing at the world juniors and in his draft year,” said McDavid, who also wore the maple leaf for Canada once upon a time. “Disappointing for Team Canada and Erie, his club team.
I wish him well,” said McDavid, tied with Mark Messier for third spot (1,034) in Oilers career points. Schaefer, a dynamic defenceman who checks hard in his end and rushes the puck up ice with ease, U.S.
centre James Hagens (Boston College) and OHL winger Porter Martone, Brampton) are the three highest-rated players going into next June’s draft. Mum’s the word The Oilers had their mum’s on the road trip to Los Angeles and Anaheim, a loss in OT to the Kings and a 5-3 L to the Ducks. “They didn’t bring a lot of luck for us but it was great having them there, said McDavid, admitting if it was a dads’ trip they might have been more critical.
“Yeah, little different with the mums on the plane after a loss than the dads,” he laughed. More nervous playing in front of mum Kelly than dad than dad Brian? “No. I’ve played thousands and thousands of games in front of mum.
But we would have liked to get a win for them,” he said “Everybody in here will tell you how much your parents do for you, your mum in particular. Great to share that with her. The Oiler organization puts on a great show for them and treats them so well.
Everybody’s appreciative of that.” Oiler goalie Calvin Pickard says a parents’ trip is special stuff. “My dad once got on two dads’ trips in one season when I got traded (from Philadelphia to Arizona in the 2018-2019 season),” he said.
Alec Regula still on the mend Oiler waiver claim pick-up defenceman Alec Regula (Boston) still hasn’t practised with the team yet after his knee surgery this summer. He was playing in the Bruins organization in the AHL (Providence). Regula, claimed on Dec.
11, may eventually get to Bakersfield for conditioning. The 24-year-old right-shot D had 26 points and was plus 36 in 55 games for Bruins’ AHL farm club in Providence last season. “He was on the ice today, but not with us.
Just rehab skates. He’s spent so much time not practising, just rehabbing (knee). It’ll take awhile before he’s practising with us,” said Knoblauch, who is still carrying just six healthy defencemen on the roster.
High marks for Connor Brown Right-winger Connor Brown is third on the team in points per 60, producing at almost a first-line level but hasn’t gotten that shot regularly, and probably won’t. But Knoblauch has certainly noticed his production after Brown’s struggles for months last season. “Connor got off to a slow start with one goal and no assists in his first 13 games,” said Knoblauch.
“But since then he has 15 points in his last 23 games. Those are all even-strength or short-handed. In that stretch he’s had two games with Leon (Draisiatl) I believe and zero games with Connor (McDavid).
For a guy playing 12 to 13 minutes a night and producing like this, yeah, he’s a guy who could elevate in the line-up.” Looking for a fit for Leon Draisaitl Does Vasily Podkolzin just work better stylistically with 29 on the left wing with Viktor Arvidsson than on right than Jeff Skinner? “Yes, you can have a lot of skill on a line but there’s an element of breaking plays up and getting in on the fore-check (Podkolzin strength). There’s a lot of attributes to making a line successful and Podkolzin gives us a lot of that.
Right now I believe Podkolzin is a good fit there,” said Oiler coach Kris Knoblauch. This ‘n that Bookmark our website and support our journalism: Don’t miss the news you need to know — add EdmontonJournal.com and EdmontonSun.
com to your bookmarks and sign up for our newsletters here. You can also support our journalism by becoming a digital subscriber. Subscribers gain unlimited access to The Edmonton Journal, Edmonton Sun, National Post and 13 other Canadian news sites.
Support us by subscribing today: The Edmonton Journal | The Edmonton Sun..
