Oilers’ Mattias Ekholm ‘day-to-day,’ won’t return for Games 1 or 2 of Western Conference Final

The Edmonton Oilers’ confidence in Mattias Ekholm’s return to the lineup seems to be growing by the day.

While word in the weeks prior to the post-season indicated that the defenceman likely wasn’t to return at all in the playoffs, a report just before the team kicked off their first-round series said Ekholm had been responding well to treatment for his undisclosed injury.

That cranked up a notch earlier this week when Oilers head coach Kris Knoblauch said Ekholm had begun skating, and that he was “hopeful” he could return if the team reached the Western Conference Finals.

On Friday, that increased even more, with Knoblauch saying that Ekholm could be considered day-to-day.

“He is day-to-day, and I’m not anticipating him being ready for Game 1 or 2, but we’re optimistic maybe sometime during this third round he will join us,” said Knoblauch, who highlighted it would be a challenge for Ekholm if he were to return to the lineup.

“To expect Ekholm, when he joins us, to be the Ekholm we saw in last year in the playoffs, I don’t think that’s going to be the case — whether that takes him one, two, four, five games, whatever it is — I think he’ll be able to help us in some aspect immediately. Then, 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 doctors and able to play.”

The good news for the Oilers is that there’s no rush to get Ekholm back into the lineup. Their defensive corps has stepped up in a big way these playoffs, especially in Games 4 and 5 of their sereis against the Vegas Golden Knights, choking out their offence as Stuart Skinner posted back-to-back shutouts.

Knoblauch still sees a path where Ekholm would be a strong addition to the lineup.

“Fortunately, we’ve got a group of defencemen right now who are playing really well, and we’re not in dire need to insert him when he’s not ready, but I think when he does play, it will be beneficial for us,” he said. “I think the biggest part for us — the five-on-five play, yes, but also the penalty kill. He’s been a mainstay, he’s been our best penalty killer from what I’ve seen for two years. Having him be available for that will be important for us.”