ANAHEIM, CA – Back with the team and back in the lineup.
Oilers captain Connor McDavid is slated to suit up in Anaheim on Wednesday as Edmonton opens a three-game California road trip against the Ducks, just three days after he competed in the gold-medal match for the Canada at the Winter Olympics against the United States.
McDavid, who was named MVP of the Milano Cortina 2026 tournament after scoring two goals and 11 assists in six games, arrived in Orange County on Tuesday and participated in Wednesday's morning skate.
He expressed his disappointment over the sudden-death defeat to the Americans but said he'll still cherish the memories of his first Olympic experience.
"There's no way around it, no way to sugarcoat it, it sucks," McDavid said. "But overall, the experience was good and it was a great group of guys to be around. Honestly, it was a special group to be a part of, and we'll have those memories for a lifetime."
McDavid rejoins an Oilers squad that lost its final three games before the Olympic break and sits just one point up on the Ducks heading into Wednesday's divisional matchup. The Los Angeles Kings, who they'll play Thursday to conclude a back-to-back, are four points behind them.
"It's going to be a tight race coming down the stretch, and it's going to be a sprint," he said of Edmonton's final 24 games. "There's only a handful of weeks left and we haven't secured anything, so we've got to find a way to get going here out of the break. It's important. Starts with a big road trip here in Anaheim, a team that is right there with us, and then in LA and San Jose, all three teams right there."
