Oilers injury update: McDavid and Kapanen to miss time, Henrique ready to return to lineup<\/p>\n
After riding the waves of Olympic emotions<\/a>, Connor McDavid might not join the Oilers right away, who are thrust right back into game action with a back-to-back in Anaheim and Los Angeles beginning Wednesday.\u00a0\u201cWhen he exactly joins the team, and when he\u2019s ready to play, we\u2019ll obviously have to have some conversations with him,\u201d said head coach Kris Knoblauch<\/a> on Sunday.\u00a0McDavid had multiple fingers taped up during Team Canada\u2019s gold medal match against the United States. He was named tournament MVP<\/a> after a record-breaking 13 points, albeit ending in a silver medal.\u00a0<\/p>\n Similarly, Leon Draisaitl was icing his wrist on the bench during Germany\u2019s games.\u00a0<\/p>\n Their status is worth paying attention to as the Oilers restart their season with 24 games to go.<\/p>\n Kapanen out, Henrique in<\/p>\n Kasperi Kapanen is expected to miss the first two games upon the Oilers\u2019 return to action with a \u201clittle ailment.\u201d<\/p>\n It\u2019s been a season of injuries for Kapanen, who\u2019s missed a total of 39 games.\u00a0 This year, he\u2019s produced five goals and 12 points in 19 contests, including goals in back-to-back games before the Olympic break.\u00a0<\/p>\n Knoblauch said on Sunday that the issue is different than the lower-body injuries that have forced him out of the lineup for significant stretches in 2025-26.\u00a0<\/p>\n \u201cI\u2019m not sure if he\u2019ll be ready for the first two games,\u201d said Knoblauch. \u201cIt might be later in the week, but he\u2019s feeling okay. Whether he\u2019s ready for these first two games after missing such a long time, I guess we\u2019ll find out, but right now we\u2019re thinking it\u2019s probably not going to be the first two games.\u201d<\/p>\n However, Adam Henrique is ready to rejoin the team and suit up on Wednesday, according to Knoblauch.\u00a0<\/p>\n The veteran centre hasn\u2019t played since January 6 after blocking a shot against the Nashville Predators.\u00a0<\/p>\n