Edmonton Oilers captain Connor McDavid skating well but won’t commit to return date

Edmonton Oilers captain Connor McDavid was flying on the ice while playing quarter-ice, three-on-three hockey Saturday afternoon at Rogers Place.

He didn’t appear to be hindered by the posterior cruciate ligament tear that he suffered in his left knee on April 6 in the team’s regular season finale in Calgary.

So with a new season starting on Oct. 2, will McDavid be in the Oilers’ lineup?

“We’re working towards that,” McDavid said. “You’re going to have ask some guys who are lot smarter than I am. I’m supposed to play hockey and I don’t make those decisions.

“The doc will say when I’m good to go, and that’s when I’ll go.”

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The injury kept McDavid from starting his off-season training as early as he would have liked. Despite that, he says he doesn’t feel limited after a summer of rehab.

“It feels like nothing’s changed,” McDavid said. “I’ve been skating a ton. I trained with Gary Roberts and his program. We skate there. I skated a little bit on my own early.”

Watch below: Edmonton Oilers captain Connor McDavid hit the ice at Rogers Place on Saturday and said he felt good. The centre’s knee was injured during the last game of the regular season in April.

1:00 Connor McDavid hits the ice at Rogers Place on Saturday

The only other significant injury McDavid has sustained in his NHL career came in his rookie season in 2015-16. He missed almost half of that campaign with a broken collarbone.

“Ligaments and that type of stuff, I’ve never dealt with before,” McDavid said. “I didn’t want to push it too hard, but you have to push it hard enough to make sure it’s healing.”

The Oilers open main training camp on Thursday and have their first of seven pre-season games on Sept. 16. McDavid wouldn’t commit as to how he’ll participate in either.

“I don’t know. That’s kind of out of my hands. The doctors and whatnot will figure all that out,” McDavid said.

“I think the decision is based on some of the testing maybe. I already did my physical. That all went good.”

Watch below: Some Global News videos about Connor McDavid.

0:23 Edmonton Oilers’ McDavid clocked going over 40 km/h while scoring goal against the Calgary Flames

• Edmonton Oilers’ McDavid clocked going over 40 km/h while scoring goal against the Calgary Flames
• How did the Oilers come to $12.5M per season for Connor McDavid?
• Connor McDavid happy to stay in Edmonton Oilers jersey: ‘I want to win here’
• Edmonton Oilers sign Connor McDavid: ‘Not a bad way to start the next 9 years’

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