The Edmonton Oilers will begin their third-round playoff series without a key defenseman.
Head coach Kris Knoblauch informed reporters on Friday that Mattias Ekholm will not be available for either of the first two games of the Western Conference Final. Ekholm is currently recovering from an undisclosed injury.
Ekholm has not played since April 11th. However, Knoblauch expressed optimism that Ekholm might be able to rejoin the lineup at some point during Round 3.
Edmonton is scheduled to face the winner of the series between the Dallas Stars and the Winnipeg Jets, with the victor advancing to the Stanley Cup Final. The Stars currently hold a 3-2 series lead as they head into Game 6 on Saturday.
Knoblauch also gave an update on goaltender Calvin Pickard, who took over the starting position in Round 1 before sustaining an injury midway through the second round. The 33-year-old netminder is also not expected to be ready for the start of the upcoming series, though the Oilers remain hopeful for his eventual return.
In Ekholm`s absence on the blue line, Edmonton has been relying on defensemen Ty Emberson and Troy Stecher. Emberson has appeared in the first nine games of the postseason, while Stecher, whose most recent playoff experience before this year was in 2022, was added to the lineup for Game 4 on Monday.
