Connor McDavid Played Through Serious Injury During Oilers' 1st-Round NHL Stanley Cup Playoffs Loss

In the aftermath of the Edmonton Oilers' disappointing first-round loss to the Anaheim Ducks in the Stanley Cup Playoffs, it has been revealed that Connor McDavid was playing through a significant injury in this foot/ankle area.

Speaking to reporters on Saturday, Oilers head coach Kris Knoblauch said McDavid was dealing with a fracture "around the foot, ankle area" that was causing "a lot of pain."

Knoblauch confirmed the injury occurred early in the second period of Game 2 when McDavid collided with teammate Mattias Ekholm and Ducks defenseman Ian Moore.

It was known that McDavid was dealing with an injury throughout the series. He was listed as a game-time decision for both Games 5 and 6, but wound up playing in both.

McDavid's playing time didn't change much after the injury, though he did play a bit less. He averaged 24:29 minutes on the ice in the first two games, compared to 23:05 per contest over the final four games.

Game 4, in particular, stands out because McDavid was only on the ice for 19:05 in a game the Oilers lost in overtime.

All six of McDavid's points against the Ducks came after the injury, with two each in Games 3, 4 and 5. He finished minus-eight in the series, the worst plus-minus in a single playoff series of his career.

The average of 1.0 point per game was McDavid's worst in a playoff series since the 2020-21 season when the Oilers were swept in the first round by the Winnipeg Jets.

This season was a step back for the Oilers after four consecutive seasons with at least 100 points in the regular season and back-to-back appearances in the Stanley Cup Final in 2024 and '25.

The Oilers' loss has led to speculation about McDavid's long-term future with the franchise. He is under contract through the 2027-28 season.

Edmonton still boasts arguably the best duo in the NHL with McDavid and Leon Draisaitl, so the expectations for the team going into next season figure to be high once again.

McDavid led the league in assists (90) for the fifth time and total points (138) for the sixth time in his career. He appeared in all 82 games during the regular season for the first time since 2022-23.