Edmonton Oilers Dallas Stars Connor Brown Jerome Miron-Imagn Images

Oilers’ Connor Brown absent from Monday practice, could miss ‘a few games’

Originally posted on Oilersnation | By Zach Laing | Last updated May 26, 2025 1:00 PM ET

The Edmonton Oilers were without winger Connor Brown at Monday’s practice, and it’s possible he will miss multiple games.

The cause was a thunderous check he took from Dallas Stars defenceman Alex Petrovic during Sunday’s Game 3. It happened in the second period, when Brown was trying to move a puck along the boards. As he did, Petrovic came down from the blue line, laying a hit that caught Brown in the head, sending him to the ice.

Dallas would score their lone goal of the game moments later, and Brown didn’t return in what became a 6-1 win.

Connor Brown will not return to th Oilers lineup tonight after taking this dirty head shot from Alex Petrovic

: Sportsnet | #LetsGoOilers pic.twitter.com/m9HwBol1Al

— Oilersnation.com, Oily Since ‘07 (@OilersNation) May 25, 2025

No. But he won’t play tomorrow. Could see him out for at least a few games. https://t.co/FhKzDzsy7N

— Jason Gregor (@JasonGregor) May 26, 2025

Oilersnation’s Jason Gregor said Monday that head coach Kris Knoblauch didn’t say how long Brown would be out for, but it was Gregor’s speculation it could be multiple games.

Brown has been a force for the Oilers in the playoffs, leading all forwards in penalty kill time, while also scoring five goals and eight points in 14 games. He was questionable to play early in the series against the Stars as a game-time decision for Game 1, but ended up drawing in, scoring a big goal in Game 2 to help secure the Oilers’ 3-0 win.

The player most likely to slide in Brown’s spot is Viktor Arvidsson, who skated with the team Monday.

There were a few other notable absences and arrivals at practice Monday, according to Gregor.

Evan Bouchard, Jake Walman and Stuart Skinner took rest days and weren’t on the ice, though both Ryan Nugent-Hopkins and Trent Frederic were. The latter two of the five had both took some big hits in Game 3 — Nugent-Hopkins getting slammed sideways into the boards which he said after the game just winded him, while Frederic was run hard into Dallas’ net. Both remained in the game.

Mattias Ekholm skated again, Gregor said, adding his hunch is the blueliner won’t play in Game 4. Calvin Pickard, meanwhile, was on the ice and is close to returning to his backup role.

Game 4 between Edmonton and Dallas goes Tuesday night at 6:00 PM MT.

This article first appeared on Oilersnation and was syndicated with permission.

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