The absence of Connor McDavid due to an ankle injury will certainly be a blow to the Oilers, but there are some fantasy implications to consider. Jeff Skinner, a veteran forward, is set to step into the top-six lineup alongside Ryan Nugent-Hopkins and Zach Hyman. With only a 52% rostered rate in ESPN Fantasy leagues, Skinner has the opportunity to make a significant impact, especially with his history as an 82-point contributor just two years ago.
Another player benefitting from McDavid’s absence is Mattias Ekholm, who now finds himself on Edmonton’s top power play unit. Ekholm has already notched two points with the extra skater and is proving himself as a valuable fantasy blueliner with his strong shot and aggressive play. With an average of 2.2 fantasy points per game in standard leagues, Ekholm is definitely worth considering for your roster, especially since he is available in over 30% of leagues.
Historically, the Oilers have managed to perform well even without their superstar, so it will be interesting to see how the team steps up in McDavid’s absence. Players like Hyman and Nugent-Hopkins, who may have been underperforming recently, could see an increase in production as the team faces 11 opponents before November 21st. Keep an eye on these players as they look to make a fantasy impact while McDavid is out of the lineup.