NHL Rumours: Skinner, Oilers, Landeskog, Tkachuk, Cousins, Senators

In today’s NHL rumors rundown, the Edmonton Oilers have officially clinched a playoff spot, and Jeff Skinner is set to end one of the NHL’s most unwanted streaks. Elsewhere, Gabriel Landeskog made his return to professional hockey, playing in an American Hockey League game for the Colorado Eagles. Finally, after clinching a playoff spot, Nick Cousins looks to be ready to return to the Ottawa Senators’ lineup after missing significant time with injury.

Jeff Skinner Finally Gets To Play in the Playoffs

After 1,075 career regular season games, and potentially three more to wrap up the season, Skinner is finally going to get his chance to play playoff hockey. After being selected seventh overall by the Carolina Hurricanes in 2010, Skinner spent eight years with the club, missing the playoffs in each season. In 2018-19, Skinner left as a free agent, signing with the Buffalo Sabres, who haven’t made the playoffs since the 2010-11 season.

After being bought out last summer, Skinner had the opportunity to join one of the top teams in the league, the Oilers, who were a sure-fire bet for a playoff spot. The season wasn’t as strong as many hoped, and Skinner was a healthy scratch at times, but with three games to go in the season, he is more than likely going to make his playoff debut this season at 32 years old.

With 28 points in 69 games, Skinner has been a decent addition to the offensive depth. There was a chance he could light the lamp more, but considering the Oilers brought him in on a one-year deal worth $3 million, it has been a good relationship between the player and the team.

Landeskog Makes His Return to Pro Hockey

With 1,020 days since his last professional hockey game, there was a lot of doubt about whether or not Landeskog would ever make a return. After being cut by a skate above the knee, and undergoing a cartilage transplant procedure, it has been a very lengthy return, but he was loaned to the Eagles, and with Nathan MacKinnon, Milan Hedjuk, Cale Makar, Josh Manson, Andrew Cogliano, and general manager Chris MacFarland in attendance to cheer him on, he finally made his return.

He played 15 shifts and just under 15 minutes, and looked good in that time, especially with his long break away from game action. Conditioning is going to be the biggest part of the comeback, and after the game, Landeskog said “My body feels great…Fun night, but now I’m tired”

With the playoffs just around the corner, the Colorado Avalanche are going to rally around the heartwarming story surrounding their captain, and are going to look to hoist the Stanley Cup once again. Landeskog could be ready to go in Game 1 of the first round, but again, conditioning could be the biggest thing standing in the way of his NHL return.

Senators Getting Nick Cousins Back at Key Time

After seven difficult seasons, the Senators are heading back to the playoffs. They clinched their playoff berth a few days ago, and are looking to get some players healthy and in the lineup.

Captain Brady Tkachuk has missed the last six games with an injury, but head coach Travis Green stated that Tkachuk skated on April 12 and felt great. He did state that he won’t be playing on April 13 against the Philadelphia Flyers, but the captain is heading in the right direction and should be good to go for the first game of the playoffs. Truthfully, it is hard to imagine Tkachuk missing Game 1 for any reason.

Cousins, who was playing very well before getting injured, is also set to make his return to the lineup. After a knee-on-knee collision with Toronto Maple Leafs forward Jacob Quillan on Jan. 25, Cousins had knee surgery, but has recovered well and there is a “fairly good chance” he makes his return to the lineup, according to Green.

Cousins had a great month-and-a-half stretch leading up to the injury, especially considering his role on the fourth line. He is the type of player who will help a team thrive in the playoffs, and is a great fit with the Senators’ identity.