“This year, talked to (Draisaitl and McDavid), said this is what I was thinking, and they kind of just shrugged their shoulders and said, ‘yeah, that sounds good.'”

“You’ve got to give him time into the season as well, because that’s an injury that certainly lingers around for a while, nagging at you,” stressed Draisaitl. “So he looks good, I’m sure he feels a lot more confident and comfortable within himself.

“I will say, though, with that specific injury, that it takes a long time. You’ve got to give him time.”

“I haven’t had this injury, but I’ve just heard our medical staff talk about it (when) Draisaitl had it in the playoffs several years ago. (Adam) Henrique two years ago in the playoffs,” began Knoblauch. “And they had two or three months off, and came back in September, and they (said), ‘oh, I still feel it, I’m not sure about it.’ And then by October, they don’t even talk about it.

“So it’s a little bit, you can feel it, maybe just not trusting it quite yet, and then after playing and getting into the competition, the adrenaline of games, you feel comfortable. I don’t want to speak for Trent, but that’s kind of what I’ve heard about that kind of injury, and that’s kind of the process.”