Will Brandon Manning-Connor McDavid feud escalate as Flyers face Oilers?

EDMONTON, Alberta – Flyers defenseman Brandon Manning and Edmonton superstar Connor McDavid don't like each other. That much is clear.

What ISN'T clear is whether their much-publicized feud will escalate when the teams meet Thursday night in Edmonton.

Some background: Last season, McDavid missed 37 games after he broke his left clavicle in a contest against the Flyers, probably costing him the rookie-of-the-year award.

McDavid lost an edge on the play and then collided with Manning and went into the boards. Manning later said he received death threats from fans who thought he intended to injure McDavid.

McDavid, 20, who leads the NHL with 63 points this season, told Manning it was a "classless thing" he did to him.

That's Manning's version.

McDavid had a different version. After the Flyers' 6-5 comeback win over the visiting Oilers on Dec. 8, he said Manning acknowledged that he injured him on purpose.

Manning vehemently denied saying such a thing.

"That's 100 percent wrong," he said at the time. "Anyone who has seen the clip sees him catch an edge. I would never intentionally hurt someone. ... When he comes out and says that's the most classless thing ... and for him to come out in the second period and yell at our bench for a minute and tell me to get on the ice. Or for him to score a goal and start chirping at me, you should see where his focus is right there."

The two were involved in a first-period scrum in that Dec. 8 game. Later, McDavid scored a power-play goal and then jawed at Manning, calling him a bleeping bleep.

"He wanted to make some comments today about what went on last year, and I thought it was one of the classless things I've ever seen on the ice," McDavid said after that game. "He said some things, and our guys responded accordingly. We can put the whole 'He did it on purpose' thing to rest, because what he said out there confirmed that. It shows what kind of guy he is, how he doesn't step up and fight some of our guys."

All of which brings us to Thursday night's anticipated rematch.

Manning, of all people, has become Public Enemy No. 1 in Edmonton. Provided he plays - coach Dave Hakstol could spoil the drama and replace him with Michael Del Zotto - Manning will hear an earful from the Oilers' crowd.

And it wouldn't be surprising if one of the Edmonton players takes a run at him.

"We'll have his back, no matter what," veteran defenseman Mark Streit said after the Flyers' 3-1 loss in Calgary on Wednesday night. "I think in today's game, with 100 cameras out there, if someone does something stupid, (the league will intervene). The thing is, it's a big game for us. We want to keep our composure and be smart about it."

Edmonton (30-19-8) is in third place in the Pacific Division, while the fading Flyers (27-23-7) are two points behind Toronto in the race for the Eastern Conference's final wild-card spot.

"We want to help him out and protect him and have his back, but we don't want to sit in the penalty box the whole night because that doesn't do us any good," Streit said.

Stay tuned.