Oilers HC hints at Connor McDavid, $112,000,000 forward and Zach Hyman's potential omittal from last regular season game

By Abhishek Dilta

Modified Apr 15, 2025 11:32 GMT

NHL: Edmonton Oilers at Minnesota Wild - Source: Imagn — Oilers HC hints at Connor McDavid, $112,000,000 forward and Zach Hyman's potential omittal from last regular season game - Source: Imagn

Connor McDavid did not play in the Oilers' 5-0 loss to the Los Angeles Kings on Monday. HC Kris Knoblauch emphasized a cautious approach, noting there was no need to rush McDavid into three games in four nights, especially since his performances of late showed no signs of rust.

Meanwhile, Leon Draisaitl and Zach Hyman also did not play. All are expected to be ready for the playoffs, with some of the other players out potentially returning for the season final against the San Jose Sharks on Wednesday.

In a post-game media session, Knoblauch indicated that the team would reassess whether Connor McDavid, Leon Draisaitl, or Zach Hyman would play, as the game holds little significance.

"We will reevaluate. The game doesn't mean anything. Whether Leon plays, Connor plays, Hyman plays—those are a lot of question marks, and it's probably not necessary that they do," said Knoblauch post-game. "I think they're game ready and will be ready for the playoffs. So it's a possibility they play, but I'm not sure what we benefit with them playing."

Leon Draisaitl, currently signed to a $112 million contract, leads the Oilers with 106 points, notched through 52 (the most in the league) goals and 54 assists in 71 games. Meanwhile, Connor McDavid and Zach Hyman have accumulated 99 and 44 points, respectively.

Connor McDavid's Oilers lose home advantage to LA Kings in first round

Connor McDavid's Edmonton Oilers lost home-ice advantage in the first round of the playoffs against the rival LA Kings following a 5-0 defeat at Rogers Place on Monday. The Kings secured the No. 2 seed in the Pacific Division.

Warren Foegele opened the scoring for the Kings at 2:53 into the first period. Quinton Byfield, who exited the game due to an upper-body injury, increased the Kings' lead to 2-0 after scoring on the power play at 9:26.

Vladislav Gavrikov put the Kings at a 3-0 advantage before heading into the second period. Kevin Fiala increased the lead to 4-0 after capitalizing on the power play at 7:43 into the second period. Adrian Kempe scored the winner for the Kings at 8:13 into the final period.

The LA Kings and the Edmonton Oilers will lock horns in the first round of the playoffs for the fourth consecutive year. The playoffs begin on Saturday, April 19.

Also Read: Social media divided over Darnell Nurse's major and ejection for cross-checking Quinton Byfield

About the author

Abhishek is an NHL writer at Sportskeeda with over 2 years of sports reporting experience and a Bachelor of Arts degree from the University of Delhi. He became a fan of ice hockey after watching NHL fight videos on YouTube, which led to him professionally writing about the sport and his continued interest in all things hockey.

A fan of the Boston Bruins, Abhishek considers their incredible comeback win against the Toronto Maple Leafs in the 2013 playoffs as the most iconic moment in the NHL. His admiration for the six-time Stanley Cup winners also comes from the team’s storied history, distinctive black and gold uniform and their success in the sport. His all-time favorite NHL players are Sidney Crosby and Connor McDavid, for their ability to perform at the highest level consistently.

Abhishek ensures his reporting is fair and balanced by being well-researched in his details, which he expects to be relevant, up-to-date and in line with ethical standards. His specialties are doing detailed match analysis and covering fan reactions.

Abhishek enjoys music, traveling and going on walks with his three German Shepherds in his free time, along with learning about horticulture.

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Edited by Dipayan Moitra