What The Return of Connor McDavid Means

The Edmonton Oilers are getting some good news coming out of the All-Star break.

Connor McDavid, who hasn't played since November 3, was back at practice Monday and says he is anxious to get back onto the ice. Last we saw him, he was ridden hard into the boards in the game against the Flyers and he hasn't been seen since. Well, now, Oilers fans might see him tonight when they take on the Columbus Blue Jackets.

McDavid had spent most of last week with the Oilers' AHL team, the Bakersfield Condors, and had only rejoined the Oilers recently.

I think the Oilers should be thankful that they have Connor McDavid now. They sit in the bottom of the Pacific Division and it looks like they weren't going to go anywhere fast. Well, we still don't know if they're going to move anywhere fast even right now, but having Connor McDavid must feel like they have a chance. The only issue is the Pacific Division. If the Oilers want a chance to get into the playoffs and to make some noise, then Connor McDavid is gonna have to bring his A+ game every night they're on the ice, but even that's hard to do, especially in hockey.

Jordan Eberle, a teammate, says it may be easier for McDavid to readjust to the NHL, given that players are coming off the All-Star break. And while it may be true that players are coming off the break, it doesn't mean that they would end up in some kind of slump to start the second half of the season. Some players, like Patrick Kane or Drew Doughty or Alex Ovechkin, might get hot within the first minute. So it doesn't matter if you're coming off a break or not, Connor McDavid is going to have to play really well for this team and to compete with the big guys in the league. I don't know yet if he'll be able to do that, considering he's coming off injury. So my suggestion is to give this time and for the Oilers to hope that some teams in their division fall a little bit.

I still think Connor McDavid can be a factor in this league right now, but he's going to have to get hot right now and pull this team together to move past some people. That may be a little bit hard to believe considering where they are and where their recent history has put them, but things have happened. Look at the Kings' Stanley Cup win as an 8th seed. It's possible. Connor McDavid's return may mean something, but he's gonna have to prove it on the ice and against good teams in the league as well.