This in from the Edmonton Oilers practice, news that fan favourite Connor Brown is back on the ice to practice with the team today, but that team captain Connor McDavid left the ice early.
TSN’s Ryan Rishaug reported, “McDavid had a word with training staff and left practice early today. Rest of the group still out there.”
And Brenden Escott, host of Inside Sports on 880 radio, reports: “Brown confirms he’s ready to return for Game 1 of the Stanley Cup Final.”
Edmonton sport radio host Reid Wilkins reported, “Knoblauch says he’s confident Connor Brown will be fine for Game 1.”
UPDATE
Escott also gave an update on McDavid, that he’ll be ready to play Game 1. “Kris Knoblauch says McDavid will be ready for Game 1 after he left practice early today. ‘No issues.’”
Rishaug reported something similar: “Knoblauch said no major issue, McDavid will be good to go for game one.”
Tony Brar of Oilers TV reported the lines and pairings:
EDM lines & pairings – Sunday practice:
RNH – McDavid – Perry
Kane – Draisaitl – Kapanen
Skinner – Henrique – Frederic
Podkolzin – Janmark – Arvidsson
• Brown, Ryan, Jones
Ekholm – Bouchard
Nurse – Kulak
Walman – Klingberg
• Stecher, Emberson
Skinner
Pickard
My take
1. Brown, a major fan favourite in Edmonton due to his endless hustle and excellent attitude, was already playing injured when big Dallas d-man Alex Petrovic drilled him with a shoulder to the head, knocking him out for two games.
Brown was replaced by strong two-way forward Viktor Arvidsson in the line-up. In the subsequent game, Zach Hyman was knocked out with an arm/wrist injury, forcing him to get surgery.
2. Good to hear the update on McDavid, as it was disconcerting news for him to leave practice.
McD certainly was flying fast last Thursday in Edmonton’s win over Dallas. Likely this is nothing much, or “no issues,” as the coach puts it.
At the same time, this is the playoffs and this is the secretive Oilers, so we’ll never really know what’s up with a player’s health status.
Given that opposing players target injuries — seen when Evan Bouchard slashed Roope Hintz’s injured foot in the Dallas series — can anyone blame NHL teams for keeping all such injury as quiet as possible.
3. Brown has five goals and three assists in 14 playoff games this year. With Hyman out, he may end up playing a major role in Edmonton’s Top 6. Kasperi Kapanen and Vasily Podkolzin have done well in terms of two-way play as well, giving the Oil options. But Hyman was killing it this playoff season. He’ll be missed immensely.
4. If Brown goes in for Game 1, I suspect that Jeff Skinner comes out. This will upset some fans who greatly value Skinner’s skill, but it will be the right call.
Against Florida the Oilers will need the hitting and muscle of Kapanen, Podkolzin and Trent Frederic, who played his best game of an iffy 2025 playoffs for him in Game 5 against Dallas. Perhaps Frederic is finally starting to hit his stride after being out with an ankle injury.
G16
More to come…
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