The Edmonton Oilers have received some major good news ahead of Game 1 of the Stanley Cup Final.
Oilers captain Connor McDavid will officially be on the ice for the series opener against the Florida Panthers. Edmonton head coach Kris Knoblauch told reporters after practice on Sunday that there is no remaining issue with McDavid and that he will, in fact, be good to go for Wednesday’s 8:00 p.m. ET puck drop.
“No issues. He will be ready for Game 1,” Knoblauch told reporters Sunday, via Jason Gregor of The Daily Faceoff.
The news comes after McDavid left Sunday’s practice early following a discussion with the Oilers’ training staff.
The Connor McDavid Incident in Question
The information available to the media and the public about why McDavid departed practice early is limited at best. McDavid was also expected to speak to reporters after the team’s practice on Sunday, but the media session was postponed until a later date after he exited the practice session early.
Knoblauch said no major issue, McDavid will be good to go for game one. https://t.co/8eBsyJiYE1
— Ryan Rishaug (@TSNRyanRishaug) June 1, 2025
Having McDavid available for Game 1 against the Florida Panthers will be critical to Edmonton’s potential in hoisting the Stanley Cup.
McDavid was the No. 1 overall pick in the 2015 NHL Draft and was selected by Edmonton after they won the NHL Draft Lottery. He has since played his entire career with the Oilers.
He leads the NHL in points through the first three rounds of the playoffs, with 26 in 16 games, including a league-best 20 assists. The Ontario, Canada native also had nine points in five games during the Western Conference finals against the Dallas Stars, lifting his team to its second consecutive Stanley Cup Final appearance.
In addition to last year, this is the Oilers’ second appearance in the final since 2006. Edmonton has won the Stanley Cup five times, most recently in 1990, the last of five titles in a seven-year span.
McDavid has played a total of 90 games in the postseason in his career. He is a four-time NHL First Team All-Star, a five-time recipient of the Art Ross Trophy, a four-time winner of the Ted Lindsay Award, a three-time recipient of the Hart Memorial Trophy, and the Maurice “Rocket” Richard Trophy winner for 2022–23 as the league’s leading goal-scorer.
According to fanduel.com, McDavid is also listed as one of the top players to bet on in receiving the Conn Smythe Trophy, to be awarded to the NHL Playoffs’ Most Valuable Player.
