One of the Edmonton Oilers' top defensemen is likely to return during the Conference Finals against the Dallas Stars, according to a new report.
Once again this year, the Oilers and the Stars will compete in the Western Conference Finals, with the winner set to represent the Conference in the Stanley Cup Finals.
Last year, the Oilers beat the Stars in six games, but the challenge will be much tougher this season, as Dallas made massive acquisitions over the last year, including the best scorer in the playoffs so far: Mikko Rantanen.
The Oilers will need all the reinforcements they can get, and according to a new report, the team will be able to count on the return of one of their most reliable defensemen: Mattias Ekholm.
Ekholm got injured with three games left in the regular season and has missed the whole playoffs so far, but the Oilers managed to win without him and gave him a chance to recover in time to come back before the end of the Oilers' playoff run.
The latest report suggests Ekholm could be back in the lineup for the third game of the series:
With Winnipeg's elimination on Saturday, the Oilers are locked into a Western Conference Finals rematch with the new-look Dallas Stars. Luckily, it sounds like their best defenseman, Mattias Ekholm, is close to returning and could draw in as soon as Game 3.
Ekholm could play an important role against an offensive team like the Stars. Renowned for his shutdown ability, Ekholm could be sent on the ice against the opposing team's top units to help the Oilers' struggling goalie Stuart Skinner.
In 65 games this season, Ekholm scored 33 points, including nine goals, blocked 95 shots, and landed 42 hits.
The first game between the Oilers and the Stars will go down next Wednesday, in Dallas.
Updates will follow.
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