The Edmonton Oilers decisively handled the Vegas Golden Knights on Wednesday night, winning by a score of 5-1 and making a statement in a victory without captain Connor McDavid. The Oilers limited the Golden Knights to 18 shots and showcased their ability in a low-event contest that could be critical to winning without the game’s best player. Edmonton made it harder for the Golden Knights to move up the standings and the Oilers inched closer to the Vancouver Canucks, all good things.
The decision to be made now is how long to let McDavid sit. The easy answer is, as long as it takes. If McDavid isn’t fully healthy, there’s no reason to rush him back into game action. The not-so-easy answer is that players rarely play at 100 percent and a competitor like McDavid wants to play. There’s also a lot on the line over the final five games.
Why Sitting McDavid Makes the Most Sense
If the Oilers can maintain their momentum, doing so without McDavid will only boost the team’s overall confidence. The Oilers have a fairly winnable schedule to close out the season. Two of the final five games are against the Arizona Coyotes and one is against the San Jose Sharks. There’s no reason the team can’t go .500. It’s enough to maintain where they are in the standings. From there, a game they’ll get up for on Saturday versus the Vancouver Canucks will have the team motivated, and the final game of the season against the Colorado Avalanche could be a statement game.
The Oilers aren’t likely to lose ground as the season winds down. Resting McDavid and ensuring he’s as healthy as possible for the playoffs makes a lot of sense. It’s also a great opportunity for players like Dylan Holloway to gain some traction and forwards like Evander Kane to up their production with power play minutes. It will take more leadership from Leon Draisaitl, Ryan Nugent-Hopkins, and Mattias Ekholm, and watching these names step up has a huge potential benefit.
Why Playing McDavid Makes Sense
If McDavid sat Wednesday’s game out of precaution, it was likely he’d have played if that game was taking place in the postseason. If he’s close and relatively healthy, sitting out the rest of the season seems unlikely. First, you don’t want him getting too cold as the first-round series gets underway. Second, the Oilers have to figure out their line combinations.
Related: Oilers Crush Golden Knights 5-1 Despite Being Without McDavid
The potential is that new lines like one that consists of Nugent-Hopkins, Draisaitl, and Zach Hyman could be a strong line moving forward. If the trio explodes over the next few games, the Oilers might want to leave that line as is and see what they can construct out of two other forwards and McDavid. That will take some guessing and testing, and likely more than a one-game sample size to determine. The Oilers will want to find chemistry with whoever is left to play with McDavid.
So too, a big game or two from McDavid going into the playoffs will bring with it confidence for No. 97. It’s not that he lacks it, but if he goes in hot, it’s more likely his big-time production will carry forward.
Can the Oilers Catch the Canucks?
What happens if Edmonton wins Friday and goes into Saturday’s game versus the Canucks two points back? A win over Vancouver on Saturday means that the Oilers have one game in hand and the Canucks have a tougher schedule to close out the season. Edmonton has a legitimate chance to take first place in the Pacific Division, secure home ice, and determine their first-round matchup.
Who does Edmonton want to play in the first round? Is it Los Angeles or Nashville? There may not be a better team to play, but the Oilers may feel more comfortable against a certain opponent. If McDavid gives them better odds of being in control of their own destiny, he might get the call.
