Oilers lose captain Connor McDavid for 2-3 weeks with ankle injury

Edmonton Oilers captain Connor McDavid is expected to be out for two to three weeks with an ankle injury, the NHL team said Wednesday.

McDavid sustained the injury 37 seconds into Edmonton's 6-1 loss at Columbus on Monday.

McDavid got tripped up by the stick of Blue Jackets defenceman Zach Werenski during his first shift of the game and crashed heavily into the boards.

He got up and as he skated back to the ice, motioned to the bench that he was having some problems and immediately skated off.

"He's our leader and also the best player in the game. So, of course you're going to feel it," Oilers forward Ryan Nugent-Hopkins said after the game.

He returned to Edmonton after the game for further evaluation. The Oilers (4-5-1) continued their four-game road trip Wednesday night at Nashville and are set to finish it Sunday at Calgary.

McDavid, a three-time Hart Trophy winner as NHL MVP and five-time scoring champion, has three goals and 10 points in 10 games this season.

He is one season removed from posting 132 points and guiding Edmonton to Game 7 of the Stanley Cup final before falling to the Florida Panthers. McDavid was named the Conn Smythe Trophy recipient as the playoff MVP.

A five-time Art Ross Trophy as the league's point leader, McDavid has amassed 338 goals and 992 points in 655 regular-season games since being drafted first overall by the Oilers in 2015.