Connor McDavid and Wayne Gretzky congratulate Oilers staffer for achieving historic milestone

By Ankit Kumar

Modified Nov 07, 2024 18:49 GMT

Edmonton captain Connor McDavid and former Oilers star Wayne Gretzky congratulated Jeff Lang on his 1,500th game as the team's head equipment manager.

The Oilers shared the news on Instagram and added the caption:

"Congratulations to #Oilers head equipment manager Jeff Lang on his 1,500th @NHL game! 🫡 #LetsGoOilers."

McDavid took to his Instagram story and shared a photo of him and Lang.

"1500 games! Thanks for everything, Langer!" McDavid captioned.

Connor McDavid shared it on his Instagram story (image credit: instagram/mcdavid97)

Gretzky also took to his Instagram story and shared the Oilers' post.

"One of the best ever!" Gretzky captioned.

Wayne Gretzky also shared it on his Instagram story (image credit: instagram/waynegretzky)

Lang joined the Oilers in 2003 after working with Hockey Canada. He recalled his first days with the team in a 2018 interview with Global News:

“I was new, young, coming in," Lang said. "I watched these guys play on TV, and next thing, you’re standing in front of them. It was nerve-wracking.”

Before working with the Oilers, Lang’s first job was with the AJHL’s Calgary Royals in 1996, where he was both the trainer and equipment manager. He started as a medical trainer at Mount Royal College but decided to pursue equipment management instead.

“I went to Mount Royal College as a medical trainer, but things evolved and [I] ended doing the equipment side instead of the medical,” Lang shared in the same interview. “It wasn’t my thing babying the guys. I’m not that kind of guy. I decided to go a different route.”

Lang’s hard work and dedication have made him a well-respected figure in the organization.

Connor McDavid returned to the Edmonton Oilers lineup

On Wednesday at Rogers Place, Connor McDavid returned to the Edmonton Oilers lineup after missing three games due to an ankle injury. He had opportunities to score in the 4-2 loss to the Vegas Golden Knights. McDavid played 21:02, had two shots on goal and was 8-for-13 in the faceoff circle. He finished with a -1 rating.

Oilers coach Kris Knoblauch praised McDavid for how he played.

“I thought he was good, he was skating well,” Knoblauch said after the game. “Usually, he’s putting on three or four points on the scoresheet, but for a guy that practiced, he skated a little bit, but hadn’t got any contact, I thought he fit in and had a good game.”

Connor McDavid was out since he got injured 37 seconds into a 6-1 loss to the Columbus Blue Jackets on Oct. 28. McDavid has 10 points (three goals and seven assists) in 11 games this season. He is eight away from 1,000 career points.