Prized Edmonton Oilers rookie Connor McDavid practiced with the team Friday for the first time since suffering a fractured clavicle Nov. 3.
"It feels good, it's good to feel normal again and be out there with them," McDavid, the No. 1 overall pick in the 2015 NHL draft, told reporters. "Obviously, it was a little lighter practice getting ready for tomorrow's game, but it was still a lot of fun being out there with them."
The Oilers have yet to say when McDavid, who turns 19 in two weeks, will return.
"I'm not the guy to ask for that; I think you know who to go for the answer for that," McDavid said, referring to Oilers general manager Peter Chiarelli. "The doctors, they know what's best and when it's safe. You don't want to come back too early, but you also don't want to come back too late and waste a couple of games. It's a fine line, and that's why they get paid to do that."
McDavid had resumed skating last month. Prior to being injured, he had five goals and 12 points in 13 games.
The team originally said he would be out months.
"There is still a process that I have to go through," he said. "Today was the first step, being on the ice with the guys, and I just kind of go from there. We'll see how fast that moves along, and just today, it felt good to be back out there with them. The good thing about this, I guess, is that it's an upper-body injury and we can still keep the legs moving. I was on the bike four days after surgery, so there is no excuse to come back out of shape or anything like that. I feel really good with my legs and all that.
"There is a timeline that you try and follow and reach each checkpoint or progression faster than the day they've set. I've been doing that for a little bit now, so I'm sure I'm ahead of schedule.
"It's unfortunate, but it is what it is, and you kind of have to be over that [frustration] phase now and have to start looking at the positives. It's getting a lot closer to the end than it was then. It's kind of a good feeling knowing that you can see the finish line."
The Oilers are 15-21-3 this season, good for last place in the Pacific Conference. They host the Arizona Coyotes on Saturday.