Oilers Could Get Two Key Players Back for West Final

The Edmonton Oilers became the first team to advance to the conference finals with their Game 5 win over the Vegas Golden Knights on Tuesday, so they've had a bit of time to rest up.

That extra time off is proving extremely valuable, as two key players are nearing their return. While they likely won't be back for the start of the Western Conference Final, they could return in the middle of the series.

The first of those players is top defenseman Mattias Ekholm, who has yet to play this postseason due to an undisclosed injury. Ekholm, who turns 35 next week, last played in a 4-2 win over the San Jose Sharks on April 11, and only had 1:52 of ice time in said game.

“He’s day to day and I’m not anticipating him being ready for Game 1 or 2," head coach Kris Knoblauch said, per NHL.com. "But we’re optimistic that maybe some time in the third round he will join us."

Ekholm has been a leader on the blue line since arriving in Edmonton at the 2023 trade deadline. He also played a key role in the Oilers' run to the Stanley Cup Final last year, scoring 10 points (five goals, five assists) in 25 playoff games while also providing excellent defensive play.

That said, the Oilers are going to be careful with his return to the lineup.

“To expect Ekholm, when he does join us, that he’s going to be the Ekholm that he saw last year in the playoffs, I don’t think that’s going to be the case,” Knoblauch said. “Whether it takes him one, two, four or five games, whatever it is, I think he’ll be able to help us in some aspect immediately and that will be up to him, I’m not sure how he’s feeling. Obviously, he’s not going to be joining us until he’s cleared by the doctor and is able to play, and is in good condition.”

The second is goaltender Calvin Pickard, who took over for Stuart Skinner starting in Game 3 of the Oilers' first-round series against the Los Angeles Kings and led them to six-straight victories.

“Probably not when the series starts, but I would think probably sometime in the same timeline as Ekholm, sometime during the series,” Knoblauch said. “Certainly not Game 1, but sometime in the middle.”

While Pickard, 33, led the Oilers on a long winning streak, his actual stats weren't that great, as he currently has a .888 save percentage and a 2.84 goals against average. In comparison, Skinner had a .944 save percentage in three games against the Golden Knights after returning to the lineup. While the Oilers seem content to ride the hot hand, it will be nice to have a more dependable backup.

The Oilers will face the winner of the series between the Dallas Stars and Winnipeg Jets, and will be the road team regardless of their opponent. Game 6 between those two teams is Saturday night, with Dallas looking to close the series out on home ice.