Star center Connor McDavid is returning to Edmonton for re-evaluation after suffering a lower-body injury in the first minute of the Oilers’ 6-1 road loss to the Columbus Blue Jackets on Monday.

McDavid crossed the blue line with the puck shortly after winning the first faceoff and fell after colliding with Columbus defenseman Zach Werenski. He slid into the sidewalls and then into the corner before getting up under his own power and leaving the ice.

The team subsequently announced that McDavid would not return to the game.

After the contest, Edmonton coach Kris Knoblauch acknowledged that McDavid will likely miss at least the final two games of the team’s road trip, Thursday in Nashville and Sunday in Calgary.

“It’s always difficult when you play without your best player, but hopefully it’s a short-term thing,” Knoblauch said. “Of course our team will look different. Maybe it’s one or two games.”

McDavid, 27, is a three-time Hart Memorial Trophy winner and seven-time All-Star. He has scored at least 100 points in a season seven times, including 132 points last season (32 goals, 100 assists).

This season he scored three goals and seven assists in ten games.

–Field level media