Is Connor McDavid playing tonight? Latest injury update on Edmonton Oilers captain (April 12) 

Edmonton Oilers captain Connor McDavid won’t be in the lineup tonight against the Arizona Coyotes.

When asked about his status following today’s practice, the Oilers’ star center said:

"Probably won’t go tonight."

While that may raise concerns for Oilers fans, McDavid made it clear that he feels good. Earlier this season, McDavid missed some time with an upper-body injury. Since returning, he hasn’t missed a beat, putting up his usual video game-like numbers.

In 74 games played, McDavid currently leads the team with 130 points, including 99 assists. Achieving the century mark in assists would be quite the feat, McDavid said:

"I never want to miss games… but at the end of the day we are after bigger things here and everyone being health is priority number one."

Indeed, the Oilers will need everyone healthy as they chase the Vancouver Canucks for the top spot in the Pacific Division.

Oilers head coach Chris Knoblauch has diffused speculation about McDavid’s potential injury situation. Knoblauch said the following after yesterday’s practice:

"He’s still day to day. If it was a playoff game, he would have played last night, but he’s still questionable for tomorrow."

Tomorrow is now today and McDavid is a no-go.

It seems the Oilers are simply being cautious. One can’t blame them for wanting to keep their stars healthy and rested. As it stands, the Oilers will face the Los Angeles Kings in the first round. They’ll need Connor McDavid at full speed if they are to make a deep playoff run.

Connor McDavid is looking for his fourth Hart

At 130 points, Connor McDavid is third in league-wide scoring. He trails Nikita Kucherov (139) points and Nathan MacKinnon (137 points) for the Art Ross trophy. While the scoring lead may be out of reach, the Hart Trophy seems well within his grasp.

After a slow start for both McDavid and the Oilers, the club turned up the heat following an early-season coaching change. Since then, McDavid has been playing up to his usual standards. His play has led the way for the Oiler to climb out of last place and challenge for the division lead.

Additionally, reaching 100 assists would put Connor McDavid in exclusive company, joining Wayne Gretzky, Mario Lemieux, and Bobby Orr as the only other players to reach that milestone.

Beyond stats, the Oilers owe much of their current position to McDavid’s leadership and performance.

McDavid deserves consideration in a stacked field that includes goal-scoring leader Auston Matthews. Matthews has made his way into the Hart conversation as he approaches the 70-goal milestone.

Given his track record, Connor McDavid should at least get nominated for the Hart. It looks like a three-way race between Kucherov, McDavid, and MacKinnon for this year’s league MVP. That’s an extremely tough choice for voters.