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Oilers’ Connor McDavid, Stuart Skinner leave game against Jets with potential injuries

Originally posted on Oilersnation | By Zach Laing | Last updated Mar 20, 2025 11:30 PM ET

The Edmonton Oilers entered the third period of Thursday’s game against the Winnipeg Jets without their captain and spent the final minutes without their starting goaltender, too.

McDavid was on the receiving end of an unpenalized slash on the left wrist from Jets defenceman Josh Morrissey late in the second period, and he was seen in discomfort on the bench shortly thereafter. The Oilers, however, would rule No. 97 out with a lower-body injury.

Skinner, meanwhile, was on the receiving end of a collision between himself and Jets winger Gabriel Vilardi, which saw the Oilers netminder leave the game, likely upon the suggestion of a concussion spotter. Calvin Pickard would enter the game for Edmonton.

Josh Morrissey gets a little bit of Connor McDavid, which causes McDavid some discomfort.

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— Oilersnation.com, Oily Since ‘07 (@OilersNation) March 21, 2025

Stuart Skinner is removed from the game following this collision.

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— Oilersnation.com, Oily Since ‘07 (@OilersNation) March 21, 2025

The Oilers were already ailing with the second half of the Dynamic Duo, Leon Draisaitl, missing Thursday’s game with an undisclosed injury, so losing McDavid on top of that is far from ideal.

McDavid exited the game having one assist on a second period goal by Jeff Skinner, playing 14:59 but taking no shots on goal. His final shift lasted 18 seconds, ending with 57 seconds left in the frame. In it, he carried the puck from the Oilers end into the offensive zone, dodging through numerous Jets and dishing the puck off to a teammate coming off the bench.

In a low-event game both ways, Skinner would leave the game stopping 13 of 16 shots faced for a .813 save percentage. The Oilers utilized a not-often used rule which allowed their backup goaltender entering the game, in this case Pickard, a chance to warmup. Vasily Podkolzin came out and fired a few shots at Pickard, while he stretched out.

The Oilers, of course, will hope what ever maladies McDavid and Skinner are dealing with aren’t anything serious for either. They come at a time where the Oilers were finally getting healthy, with defenceman Mattias Ekholm returning from a six-game absence.

An overtime goal from winger Kyle Connor would give the Jets a 4-3 win over the Oilers.

This article first appeared on Oilersnation and was syndicated with permission.

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