Connor McDavid has had a tough series against the Ducks. Kiyoshi Mio / Imagn Images
ANAHEIM, Calif. — Edmonton Oilers stars Connor McDavid and Leon Draisaitl missed practice on Saturday because of what coach Kris Knoblauch called a “maintenance day” ahead of a pivotal Game 4 against the Anaheim Ducks on Sunday.
The Ducks lead 2-1 in the best-of-seven first-round playoff series.
McDavid briefly left Edmonton’s Game 2 loss to the Ducks after appearing to injure his ankle, then played poorly in the Oilers’ 7-4 Game 3 loss on Friday, his third consecutive subpar game. Anaheim dramatically outshot and out-chanced the Oilers with McDavid on the ice and outscored them 4-1, and he also took a crucial third-period penalty, nullifying an Edmonton power play.
McDavid managed to score a power-play goal and record a secondary assist for his first points of the series, which Knoblauch leaned into during his postgame assessment, but something certainly seemed to be amiss. In three games vs. the Ducks, McDavid has a minus-6 rating at even strength.
Draisaitl has been more effective than McDavid, with six points in the series, but he missed the final month of the regular season with a lower-body injury.
In a bit of positive injury news for Edmonton, center Jason Dickinson was a full participant in practice on Saturday. A defensively minded third-liner, Dickinson also scored twice in Game 1, Edmonton’s lone win of the series, before missing games 2 and 3. Knoblauch said Dickinson’s availability for Sunday will be a game-time decision.
Apr 27, 2026
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