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Edmonton Oilers Fans: Wrong Points About McDavid Injury

By Sammi Silber

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The Edmonton Oilers held practice this morning.  Yes, the team did hold practice, and it was without a very special young man.  Connor McDavid was instead preparing to go into surgery, where he is going to have to get plates and screws to repair his broken clavicle.  And yes, according to the Edmonton Oilers, his injury will keep him out for “months.”

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Following practice, Chiarelli addressed the media.  The media opened questions to players.  Not one question failed to NOT discuss McDavid and how his injury will impact the team.

As I watched the players discussions with media, one man’s words struck a chord with me.  Matt Hendricks said some amazing words in this video, and he froze the media in their tracks about the questions they were asking and the point they were missing (we’ll get to that).

What words by Hendricks.  I legitimately think he is a true leader in the locker room, one who doesn’t need a captain’s “C” stitched on his jersey to be a leader.

Let’s turn back for a second.  Once McDavid went into the boards, everyone went nuts.  People started to cry, people started to worry.  People said that the Oilers season was done for sure.

Last night, we tried to make light of the situation, adding humor to the situation.  We still are, and we are looking on the bright side and trying to see positivity in a dark place and a dark time.  And some fans, however, all over the NHL, didn’t take so nicely to the injury.

“Who should we draft first overall next season?” one fan wrote.

“Looks like Eichel will take home the Calder.”

“Get revenge on the Flyers! Why did no one fight for McDavid?”

Fans.  All of you are missing the point.  The point is not about McDavid’s season being over.  Just because his season is over, it doesn’t mean that the team’s season is over.  Just because McDavid may be out a couple of months, and sure, it could hurt his odds for a Calder, that is not the point we should all be making.

And with revenge?  Why would we get revenge?  It wasn’t anyone’s fault.  It was the ice and it was all happening so fast.  Yes, a slight pant hold, but it wasn’t meant to hurt Connor.  Is a fight going to bring McDavid back up?  Will it make him happy?  Will it heal him of his wounds?  No.

An amazing kid is hurt.  Don’t make it worse and about revenge.  It’s about if Connor’s okay.

Here is the real point that we should be making.  Connor McDavid’s rookie season is simply on hold, and in that time, the Oilers will have to work as a team and perform without a piece of their puzzle.

It happens.  Injuries happen.  We went without our top scorer, Jordan Eberle, through the first month of the season.  Is our season over?  No, we made do.

McDavid, our top scorer now, is out for a while, give or take a couple months.  He’ll be back hopefully come January or February.  The season ends in April.  Does this mean the Oilers season is over?

No, we will make do.

Players will step up.  We have other players without the name McDavid on their back.  We have these young talents and these players in different roles.  They will have to step up.

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This is a test.  We will see how the Oilers can function as a team without its star.  Gretzky‘s been out with injuries.  So has Ovechkin.  Those teams survived; can ours?  It will show the pieces that work and the pieces that don’t.  Get well soon, Connor, and calm down, Oil Country.  We’re alright.

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