Edmonton Oilers head coach Kris Knoblauch revealed several key players were banged up during the playoffs but did not elaborate on the status of captain Connor McDavid.
Knoblauch addressed the media Wednesday, two days after the team lost 2-1 to the Florida Panthers in Game 7 of the Stanley Cup Final.
When asked about injuries, Knoblauch said he wasn’t sure, “what the process is going to be and how bad it was,” with regards to McDavid.
When asked what McDavid was dealing with specifically, Knoblauch declined to answer and said, “I’ll leave that up to the medical staff to say that.”
McDavid led all players during the post-season in scoring with 42 points, including a playoff-record 34 assists, and earned the Conn Smythe Trophy as playoff MVP. He became just the sixth player and second non-goalie to earn the award while playing for a team that didn’t win the Stanley Cup.
Knoblauch did reveal star centre Leon Draisaitl was dealing with injuries to his ribs and hands.
“In certain times, it was worse than others but there’s games where we weren’t sure he was going to play,” Knoblauch said, “but he fought through it and played very well in those games.”
Draisaitl appeared in all 25 playoff games and recorded 10 goals and 31 points.
Forward Evander Kane had a sports hernia injury that kept him out of the lineup for the last five games of the Stanley Cup Final.
“Something that’s been bothering him throughout the season and got to the point where it just limited his game,” Knoblauch said. “Unfortunately we missed him.”
Kane registered four goals and eight points in 20 games during the playoffs.