Player Discussion Connor McDavid Part VI: Hart, Ross and Lindsay Winner

[ThePhoenixx]

Exactly. McDavid's health is infinitely more important than the outcome of this season. A season where, even with a fully healthy McDavid, we aren't likely to make the playoffs anyhow.

McDavid needs to pick his spots. It worried me when he said that Katz pays him to go wide and drive the net all the time and how he wouldn't change his game at all.

I'm hoping he is a bit more conservative in his play now. He hopefully doesn't need to be the savior every game again.

 

[oobga]

McDavid needs to pick his spots. It worried me when he said that Katz pays him to go wide and drive the net all the time and how he wouldn't change his game at all.

I'm hoping he is a bit more conservative in his play now. He hopefully doesn't need to be the savior every game again.

I think some of this is just frustration. He knows he can try to make crazy plays any time he wants and usually pull it off successfully. I feel like you can tell when he's just PO'd and just trying stuff for the sake of trying, and unfortunately, he took too big of a risk in the last game of the year against a guy that doesn't care if he's taking guys out at the knees.

If this team didn't suck, had some actual depth, and the coach was able to properly manage ice time and encourage guys to save some stuff in the tank for playoffs, I think McDavid would play quite a bit differently. Right now it's just, work your butt off in vain, and end the year super PO'd and frustrated.

 

[McJadeddog]

So no further updates as of yet eh? I guess we'll find out more in a few days when camp opens.

 

[Del Preston]

Tom Gazzola:

"I was in Calgary all last week helping out at a hockey school and one of the guys there at camp skated with McDavid the last few weeks at the Gary Roberts camp. He's a goalie, so he's faced him in the NHL, he's faced him this summer and he actually said that McDavid looks unreal, still head-and-shoulders above anyone else when it comes to speed and the way he's handling himself and the way he's skating.

...

Just to hear from another player who's seeing him on the ice everyday, especially recently, that he looks like he's in game shape and the speed and what he's able to do with his feet hasn't been hampered all that much right now is a good sign."

https://www.tsn.ca/radio/edmonton-1260/audio/gazzola-i-ve-heard-mcdavid-looks-unreal-1.1360090

0:47 - 2:17

 

[Tobias Kahun]

Tom Gazzola:

"I was in Calgary all last week helping out at a hockey school and one of the guys there at camp skated with McDavid the last few weeks at the Gary Roberts camp. He's a goalie, so he's faced him in the NHL, he's faced him this summer and he actually said that McDavid looks unreal, still head-and-shoulders above anyone else when it comes to speed and the way he's handling himself and the way he's skating.

...

Just to hear from another player who's seeing him on the ice everyday, especially recently, that he looks like he's in game shape and the speed and what he's able to do with his feet hasn't been hampered all that much right now is a good sign."

https://www.tsn.ca/radio/edmonton-1260/audio/gazzola-i-ve-heard-mcdavid-looks-unreal-1.1360090

0:47 - 2:17

Can we get an update on McDavid body language though?

 

[oXo Cube]

Gazzola's take doesn't really jive with the HFBoards chair reporting that claims they had to amputate.

 

[CantHaveTkachev]

McDavid has not had any setbacks in recovery; return date still unclear - Sportsnet.ca

no setbacks

 

[Jimmi McJenkins]

Gazzola's take doesn't really jive with the HFBoards chair reporting that claims they had to amputate.

Or atleast that the tear some how flared up and not extends to both knees.

 

[KingKhron]

McDavid has not had any setbacks in recovery; return date still unclear - Sportsnet.ca

no setbacks

Dear God... If you read between the lines, it’s quite clear they wonder if he’ll ever walk again.

 

[booyakasha]

sounds like he won't play any pre-season games, which is good.

 

[McTonyBrar]

sounds like he won't play any pre-season games, which is good.

So what’s that sportsnet rubbish?

 

[oobga]

sounds like he won't play any pre-season games, which is good.

Not the clearest of statements from Holland. Let's see where he is in 3 weeks. I expect to see him on the ice to start camp. Need to be super safe with him.

What does it all mean?!?!

 

[jlockhart89]

Not the clearest of statements from Holland. Let's see where he is in 3 weeks. I expect to see him on the ice to start camp. Need to be super safe with him.

What does it all mean?!?!

There's a difference between being on the ice rehabbing; and being game ready. I would expect he will start on the ice individually with rehab and gradually work himself into the main groups in a non-contact jersey. How he responds to that will determine how quickly he's cleared for game action, which I'm guessing is what Holland is basing a 3 week timeline on.

 

[I am the Liquor]

Not the clearest of statements from Holland. Let's see where he is in 3 weeks. I expect to see him on the ice to start camp. Need to be super safe with him.

What does it all mean?!?!

It means gird your loins for opening day sans McDavid.

 

[PBandJ]

It means gird your loins for opening day sans McDavid.

Man we're screwed if he misses any time. Hes the only player on this team anyone has to worry about.

 

[McJadeddog]

It's interesting how things have morphed from "he'll be ready in 5 months" right after he was injured, to "it was always a 6 month recovery time frame". Who cares to be honest though. Come back in another 1 month, or another 6 months, just come back healthy. We weren't doing anything this season anyhow, so it doesn't much matter if McDavid is back in October, or January.

 

[Tad Mikowsky]

It's interesting how things have morphed from "he'll be ready in 5 months" right after he was injured, to "it was always a 6 month recovery time frame". Who cares to be honest though. Come back in another 1 month, or another 6 months, just come back healthy. We weren't doing anything this season anyhow, so it doesn't much matter if McDavid is back in October, or January.

Who cares? Gee I dunno, most Oilers fans, the organization since he’s the best player in the NHL

 

[guymez]

It's interesting how things have morphed from "he'll be ready in 5 months" right after he was injured, to "it was always a 6 month recovery time frame". Who cares to be honest though. Come back in another 1 month, or another 6 months, just come back healthy. We weren't doing anything this season anyhow, so it doesn't much matter if McDavid is back in October, or January.

I am still waiting for you to back up your claim that MOST people said it would be a 12 - 18 month recovery.

 

[CupofOil]

Man we're screwed if he misses any time. Hes the only player on this team anyone has to worry about.

This season is pretty much a write off as far as playoffs are concerned even with a healthy McDavid so it's paramount to think of the long term even if it's at the expense of the short term. If he misses some games to get his health to 100% so be it.

Maybe I'm alone in this but McDavid missing some games might be a blessing in disguise in the sense that it will allow Draisaitl to grow without the McDavid safety net and force others to step up in his absence.

 

[WhyYouHaveToBeMad]

sorry if the link has already been shared: Agent: McDavid's knee improving but 'can't say' if he'll play in opener

 

[harpoon]

McDavid needs to pick his spots. It worried me when he said that Katz pays him to go wide and drive the net all the time and how he wouldn't change his game at all

I get that. And part of me agrees. But the more salient point is that maybe that f***ing ass clown Giodano needs to learn when to goon it up (not the meaningless last game of the season). And maybe check the number on the back of the sweater before taking out opponents at the knees. If McDavid is in any way not fit for the season I sure hope guys like Kassian know what their job is this year. Hell, even if he is OK, Giordano needs to be handed out some hockey justice every time he faces the Oilers for the rest of his miserable career.

 

[GOilers88]

This season is pretty much a write off as far as playoffs are concerned even with a healthy McDavid so it's paramount to think of the long term even if it's at the expense of the short term. If he misses some games to get his health to 100% so be it.

Maybe I'm alone in this but McDavid missing some games might be a blessing in disguise in the sense that it will allow Draisaitl to grow without the McDavid safety net and force others to step up in his absence.

At some point the odds are that Edmonton will finally get lucky and have some of these inexpensive rookies and players make an impact. Virtually every team seems to get surprise production from guys nobody saw coming, except the Oilers.

At some point it has to happen, right?

 

[McJadeddog]

I am still waiting for you to back up your claim that MOST people said it would be a 12 - 18 month recovery.

I dunno, that's what one of the actual doctors on here posted fairly soon after the injury. Said something along the lines of (and this obviously isn't a direct quote) "these injuries take between 12-18 months to fully heal, but that every injury is different". Other people had posted similar things by simply looking up the injury on the internet, although I don't know how accurate those comments were. I did a very quick Google on it and literally clicked the first link (happened to be Harvard), and they said 4-12 months depending on the severity. I dunno man, I'm just repeating what others have said, I obviously don't know any more about it than anybody else. The team said 5 months, but that would be a guess, so I don't think we're really that far out if it takes 6 months. Is a 20% difference really that much when it comes to healing time? I wouldn't think so.

 

[McJadeddog]

Who cares? Gee I dunno, most Oilers fans, the organization since he’s the best player in the NHL

I guess my point is that his long-term health is far, FAR, more important than the outcome of this season. And lets be honest here, this season wasn't going to be very good, regardless of McDavid's health.

 

[BlackDogg]

So in a nutshell, oilers fans drew the unlucky card this year? Usually it's the inept card.