Don Cherry’s take on Connor McDavid and Leon Draisaitl injuries ahead of postseason

He often seems to have the right words. Former Canadian hockey coach and NHL commentator Don Cherry discussed the recent injuries to Connor McDavid and Leon Draisaitl on his latest podcast with an important message to the Edmonton Oilers’ fanbase.

“Don’t panic.”

On Monday, Oilers head coach Kris Knoblauch confirmed that McDavid and Draisaitl won’t be available for any of the team’s three games this week. But Grapes does not seem worried one bit. Instead, he told his son Tim, the show’s host, that he feels sorry for the fans attending the games in Edmonton.

“You know what gets me, tho. If I had paid big money to take you to the game — and they’re not playing.”

Cherry is not worried since he knows that the Oilers need their two superstar players to be as close to reasonably to 100% healthy when time comes for the postseason.

Despite a relative down year, McDavid still has put up 26 goals and 89 points in 62 games. He also scored the overtime winner for Canada to beat the U.S. in the 4 Nations Face-Off final.

As for Draisaitl, who got tangled up back on March 18 against Utah and suffered an undisclosed injury, he leads the league with 49 goals and the Oilers with 101 points.

On Tuesday, Jason Gregor reported on his show that, if everything goes according to plan, Draisaitl is closer to a return to action than the captain. “It sounds like if there’s no setbacks, that Leon Draisaitl would return to the lineup before Connor McDavid.”

And let’s all remember what Grapes said. If he’s not worried, I’m not worried.