EDMONTON – Playing the waiting game.
Waiting is never ideal—especially not for hockey players. But that’s exactly where the Edmonton Oilers find themselves, enjoying a short break as the Winnipeg Jets and Dallas Stars battle to decide who they’ll face next.
This pause in action, however, comes with a silver lining: recovery time. It’s a valuable window for injured players to heal, rehab, and regain game readiness.
On Friday morning, Oilers head coach Kris Knoblauch provided an injury update on defenseman Mattias Ekholm and goaltender Calvin Pickard ahead of the third round of the 2025 Stanley Cup Playoffs.
Pickard has been sidelined since Game 2 against the Vegas Golden Knights but still managed to finish that matchup—his sixth straight win of the postseason. According to Knoblauch, Pickard won’t be ready at the start of the upcoming series but could return midway through the third round.
As for Ekholm, his injury has lingered for some time with little encouraging news—until now. Knoblauch ruled him out for Games 1 and 2 but was cautiously optimistic, labeling him “day-to-day” and hopeful for a return later in the round.
Should both players be available by Game 3 or 4, their return could provide a major boost to Edmonton’s momentum. If not, the Oilers have proven they can handle adversity, having eliminated the Golden Knights without them.
