Star center Connor McDavid is headed back to Edmonton to be re-evaluated after sustaining a lower-body injury in the first minute of the Oilers' 6-1 road loss to the Columbus Blue Jackets on Monday.

McDavid, crossing the blue line with the puck shortly after winning the opening faceoff, fell after a collision with Columbus defenseman Zach Werenski. He slid into the sideboards and then down into the corner before getting up under his own power and leaving the ice.

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

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

"It's tough, anytime you are playing without your best player, but it's something that's hopefully short term," Knoblauch said. "Obviously, our team is going to look different. Maybe that's one, 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).

He had three goals and seven assists in 10 games this season.

--Field Level Media