It has been a brutal start for the Edmonton Oilers in the 2023-24 NHL season, but four losses in their first five games is not the worst part of the story. Superstar Connor McDavid suffered an upper-body injury in Saturday night's meeting with the Winnipeg Jets, and he was unable to finish the game.

McDavid did not play in the final four minutes of regulation or the overtime period of their 3-2 loss to the Jets. A statement by the Oilers on Sunday indicated that McDavid would be out 1-2 weeks.

While Connor McDavid played in the second period and most of the third, he appeared to suffer an awkward fall in the first period. Winnipeg Jets defenseman Josh Morrissey hauled McDavid down, causing the Oilers captain to land awkwardly. It appeared he reached for his side after the play.

There is no confirmation that that play cause the injury to McDavid. He was able to play a large portion of the game after that, so it could have been another play or a non-contact issue that has caused the injury.

The Jets were trailing in the game by a 2-1 margin when Vladislav Namestnikov scored a shorthanded goal late in the second period. After a scoreless third period, Mark Scheifele scored the game-winning goal in overtime, sending the Oilers to defeat.

The Oilers were considered one of the best teams in the Western Conference before the start of the season. While the news of the McDavid injury is troubling, if he is out no more than 2 weeks, it should not be a major problem for the Oilers.

However, if the Connor McDavid injury keeps the league's best player out of the lineup for longer than that or prevents him from playing his best hockey, it could turn out to be a huge issue.