EDMONTON, AB - Oilers Captain Connor McDavid did not skate with his club on Wednesday when the Oilers held a practice at Downtown Community Rink.
"He's still under the weather," said Oilers Head Coach Ken Hitchcock. "We're hopeful he shows up tomorrow and if not, we got to keep punching ahead."
The bench boss said a virus has affected a few members of the Oilers Training Staff, which spread to McDavid.
"When I talked to the Oil Kings Coach (Brad Lauer), he said it's going through their lineup too. We had a couple of the training staff with it and Connor ended up with it. We're hoping it gets cut off there," Hitchcock added.
The Oilers coach is hopeful No. 97 will be available Thursday versus the New York Islanders.
"I texted Connor yesterday, jokingly, and told him maybe if he didn't shake 2,000 hands (on Monday), maybe he wouldn't have gotten sick," Oilers forward Zack Kassian joked.
"We're around a lot of people, around a lot of guys. Once the virus starts going around, you never know who it will hit."
BLOG: McDavid misses practice with illness
After being sidelined late Tuesday with an illness, Oilers Captain Connor McDavid did not skate for practice on Wednesday
