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Kris Knoblauch of the Oilers.

Edmonton Oilers head coach Kris Knoblauch revealed that Connor McDavid played through significant injuries during the playoffs.

There were rumblings that McDavid was banged up during the postseason, and at one point, he was a game-time decision to play in Games 5 and 6. He ended up playing in both games, but he wasn’t as effective as he normally is, as it was clear that the player was compromised in some way.

Connor McDavid’s Injuries Revealed

During the NHL Stanley Cup playoffs, many players play hurt, as it’s just a part of hockey culture. However, these injuries are never revealed until the team’s season is over. With the Oilers getting bounced by the Anaheim Ducks in the first round, the team’s coach can now say what injuries his players were dealing with.

Speaking to the media at the team’s year-end press conference, coach Knoblauch confirmed that McDavid and forward Jason Dickinson both dealt with serious injuries during the playoffs. The coach gave both players credit for playing through what he called very painful ailments.

“Connor and Dickinson both had fractures around the foot and ankle area. Playing through a lot of pain. Those were the two most significant injuries. They spent a lot of time with the training staff getting through that, but obviously, it affected their play. But a lot of admiration for them for wanting to be out there and contributing as much as they did during the playoffs,” Knoblauch said.

Knoblauch Agrees with McDavid the Oilers Were Average

McDavid said that the Oilers were an “average team” this year, and Knoblauch agreed with their captain.

“I think that’s a very fair comment, especially with the way the regular season played out. We never got a roll going. We never got hot,” Knoblauuh said. “The fact that we weren’t able to be an elite team during the regular season shows that we weren’t an elite team.”

As for Knoblauch’s future with the team, the Oilers’ head coach is under contract for three more seasons, so he will be back next year if GM Stan Bowman still thinks he’s the right man for the job. But after the Oilers lost in the first round despite having the best player in the world on their roster, it also wouldn’t be totally surprising if the team felt a move behind the bench was necessary. Knoblauch is clearly a capable NHL coach, and the Oilers’ record over the last few years since he joined the team shows that. But sometimes, teams want to shake things up, and it’s a lot easier to fire the coach and replace them than to trade all of the players.

If Knoblauch did get the ax, former Vegas Golden Knights head coach Bruce Cassidy is currently available after he was fired by Vegas in March. He’s a Stanley Cup-winning coach, and if Bowman and the team’s management feel they can do better than Knoblauch, that might be the move to make. But for now, the Oilers figure to run things back with Knoblauch behind their bench next season, the first of two more years the team has left with McDavid under contract.