NHL-McDavid out for months with broken collarbone

Nov 4 (Reuters) - Edmonton Oilers centre Connor McDavid is expected to have surgery to repair a broken left collarbone that will sideline the rookie sensation for months, team general manager Peter Chiarelli told a news conference on Wednesday. McDavid, the number one overall pick in the 2015 National Hockey League draft and hailed as a generational talent, sustained the injury on Tuesday when he was slammed into the boards with just over a minute remaining in the second period of the Oilers 4-2 win over the Philadelphia Flyers. The 18-year-old forward carried the puck down the left wing, fired a shot on goal, was checked, fell to the ice and slid into the end boards. McDavid is expected to have surgery on Wednesday that according to Chiarelli will require plates and screws. "He'll be out indefinitely, not week-to-week, we're talking about months," Chiarelli told reporters. "Don't have a particular time frame, but as I said, plural, months." "He's a strong kid, mentally and physically. He's still developing and he's going to come back stronger." Named on Monday as the NHL's Rookie of the Month for October, McDavid has made a blazing start to his career, scoring five goals and adding seven assists in 13 games. "What's important is just to move forward. The guys have to step up," said Chiarelli. "They're going to miss Connor. He will be back. "Connor is such a special player at such a young age that it's disappointing. "Today feels like a loss. We won last night but today feels like a loss. But we'll get by it." (Reporting by Steve Keating in Toronto; Editing by Andrew Both)