Is Brayden McNabb playing tonight against the Edmonton Oilers? 3 May 2023 NHL Playoffs

The Vegas Golden Knights might have to go without Brayden McNabb for their upcoming game against the Edmonton Oilers. McNabb, who is dealing with an upper body injury, missed practice on Saturday, and is considered day-to-day, according to Jesse Granger of The Athletic.

McNabb also sat out of Thursday's game against the Winnipeg Jets, which saw Vegas clinch their first-round playoff series. It remains unclear if the defenseman will be ready to return for the start of the second round of the playoffs.

In the event that McNabb remains sidelined, the Golden Knights have a couple of options to fill his spot on the back end. Ben Hutton or Brayden Pachal could step in and take his place.

The absence of Brayden McNabb would be a blow to the Golden Knights' defense, as he has been a reliable presence on their blue line throughout the season.

The Golden Knights will hope that Brayden McNabb's injury is not too serious and that he will be able to return to action soon. In the meantime, they will need to rely on their depth to fill the void left by his potential absence.

A look at Brayden McNabb's NHL career

Brayden McNabb's NHL career has been a journey filled with twists and turns, but being chosen by the Vegas Golden Knights in the 2017 NHL Expansion Draft proved to be a turning point in his career. Prior to that, he had been playing for the Los Angeles Kings, where he averaged 15:04 of ice time in 49 games during the 2016-17 season.

However, McNabb's fortunes changed when he moved to Vegas. He became a top-four defenseman, averaging 20:09 of ice time during the regular season and finishing with 15 points (five goals, 10 assists). McNabb's contributions were significant in the playoffs as well, where he scored the only goal in the Golden Knights' series-clinching 1-0 victory against the Kings in Game 4 of the Western Conference First Round. He finished the postseason with five points (two goals, three assists) in 20 games.

McNabb's size and skating ability allow him to be a shutdown presence on the ice, making him an asset for any team. He made his NHL debut as a 20-year-old with the Buffalo Sabres on Nov. 26, 2011, and went on to play 25 games for the Sabres in the 2011-12 season. However, he spent most of the next two seasons with Rochester in the American Hockey League before being traded to the Kings on March 4, 2014.

During his time with the Kings, Brayden McNabb made his playoff debut in 2015-16, appearing in all five games of the Western Conference First Round against the San Jose Sharks. He opened the 2014-15 season with Los Angeles and finished third among Kings' defensemen that season with 22 assists.