The Edmonton Oilers took to the ice for practice today before facing the Tampa Bay Lightning without Connor McDavid on the ice, and a very different lineup from yesterday.

The Oilers have a big Connor McDavid contract negotiation looming but cannot trade Evan Bouchard to make it work.

The Edmonton Oilers were without captain Connor McDavid when they hit the ice Monday in Tampa Bay. McDavid’s absence was likely due to him resting, Oilers TV’s Tony Brar posted on social media.

Now admittedly that is not a solution without potential negative implications. If anyone else but one of them is the second line center, then that line may not be as strong. It is Ryan Nugent-Hopkins, Adam Henrique, or some kind of newly acquired player-to-be-named-later. And on the latter suggestion, that would not come cheap or easy.

Connor McDavid’s Edmonton Oilers experienced three consecutive losses in the NHL 2024-2025 season, despite McDavid's individual success at the 4 Nations Face-Off 2025. The team fell to the Philadelphia Flyers and twice to the Washington Capitals.

He might have won the only 4 Nations Face-Off championship ever played but Canada's Connor McDavid has made it clear—he doesn’t want the international tournament to become an annual event. The 4 Nations, which captivated the hockey world and brought out the best of every player for a week while setting viewership records, was a major success.

Edmonton Oilers captain Connor McDavid shared a special moment with Washington Capitals star Alex Ovechkin’s sons on the sidelines of Sunday’s game.