Edmonton Oilers Connor McDavid Practicing Face-Off Drills

It seems as if the Edmonton Oilers rookie is almost ready too return to the rink. Connor McDavid was again skating with the Oilers today at practice, this time, taking face-offs and participating in those kinds of drills.

McDavid, who has been out since early November, is finally nearing a return after breaking his clavicle. From flying into the end boards to getting surgery, this is amazing recovery for the 18-year-old.

In a child, the clavicle takes 6-8 weeks to heal, and with surgery, McDavid is months ahead of his original return date, which was expected to be in March.

With McDavid practicing face-off drills, which (I hate to even write it for the sake of being captain obvious) requires a lot of work around the upper arms and shoulders, it seems as if the clavicle is almost fully healed, if it isn’t already.

Once McDavid is cleared for contact, I suspect he will be good to go. That news should come sooner rather than later, due to the fact that he is skating and making full use of his clavicle as if he had never been injured in the first place.

The rookie has 12 points through 13 games, and he proved to be a vital addition to the offensive line. Without him, the Oilers are struggling, but for the most part, it is on the defensive end of things. Getting McDavid back would be a relief for the Oilers, as they are pushing for a playoff spot in a tight race in the Pacific Division.

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Tonight, the Oilers will take on the Carolina Hurricanes, and hopefully, they will not have to go on without McDavid too much longer.