The Philadelphia Flyers were certainly taking note of Edmonton Oilers captain Connor McDavid leaving Monday night’s game against the Columbus Blue Jackets with an injury.
McDavid, 27, took the opening faceoff for the Oilers, but played just 37 seconds before being forced to exit due to an undisclosed injury, presumed to be lower-body.
Skating along the right wall, McDavid was tripped from behind by Columbus defenseman Zach Werenski while also being pursued by former Flyers defenseman Ivan Provorov. McDavid rolled leg-first into the boards and drifted along the ice before getting up and skating off gingerly.
There did not seem to be all that much to the play, but it bothered McDavid enough to take him off the ice and eliminate him from returning to the game after.
So, why is this of note to the Flyers?
You will recall that the Flyers made a draft day trade with the Edmonton Oilers at the 2024 NHL Draft, trading their 2024 first-round pick (Sam O’Reilly) that originally belonged to Florida to Edmonton in exchange for their 2025 first-round pick.
The caveat, however, is that the pick the Flyers received from the Oilers is top 12 protected. So, if the Oilers’ pick lands in the top 12 of the 2025 NHL Draft, Edmonton will keep that draft choice and the Flyers will instead receive an unprotected 2026 first-round pick.
This is notable because the 2025 draft is widely considered to be a very deep one, and the Flyers desperately need to continue to stockpile young talent.
If McDavid is going to miss significant time, that could have serious implications on the draft pick situation going forward. A brutal 6-1 loss to Columbus on Monday night means that Edmonton currently sits 24th in the NHL with a 4-5-1 record, which is just inside that top 12 range.
The Oilers were already not playing well, and if their captain is ailing with an injury, their chances of finishing with a high draft pick increase dramatically.
And not only could the Flyers use that draft pick to select a player, but they could use it to try and trade for one as well. If or when the pick converts to a 2026 draft pick, its value will decrease because, frankly, few teams have a significant amount of intel on that draft class so far in advance.
It isn’t make-or-break, but the Connor McDavid injury could throw a wrench in the Flyers’ plans from across the continent.
