Drop the Oil

The Edmonton Oilers are heading into the postseason, but some long-awaited injury news has finally tilted in their favor.

With the puck about to drop against the Los Angeles Kings for Round 1, coach Kris Knoblauch shared updates that suggest the lineup could look a lot healthier come Game 1.

Knoblauch, speaking with Oilers reporter Daniel Nugent-Bowman, said:

John Klingberg is trending toward being available for the opening game.

The veteran defenseman has been out with an undisclosed issue but is now a potential option for Monday.

However, Troy Stecher is expected to miss at least the start of the series.

In a promising development, Evander Kane also appears to be nearing a return.

After missing time down the stretch, Kane stirred up speculation with a cryptic Instagram post suggesting his comeback could be imminent.

While Knoblauch stopped short of confirming Kane’s presence in the Game 1 lineup, the signs are positive.

Meanwhile, forward Trent Frederic remains uncertain.

Knoblauch described his availability as “hopeful,” meaning a Game 1 return is still a possibility, but there’s no clear timeline.

It’s worth noting Frederic has been described as 2 weeks away for some time now, which might indicate a return deeper into the series rather than immediately.

While Knoblauch didn’t officially name his starting goaltender, it’s widely expected that Stuart Skinner will get the nod.

That said, there may be less patience if things go sideways early.

We’re not committing to anyone just yet, Knoblauch said, hinting that Calvin Pickard could see some action if Skinner falters.

Beyond the most recent names, the Oilers are also getting some heavy hitters back into the mix.

Leon Draisaitl, Zach Hyman, and Jake Walman are all expected to return for Game 1, giving Edmonton a much-needed boost in both scoring and depth.

Still, concerns remain.

There’s no denying that Edmonton is heading into the playoffs with several players either banged up or recently returned.

The question now is whether this group, even at partial health, can grind through another deep postseason run.

As expectations soar for the Oilers to challenge in the West again, they’ll need every contributor firing.

Depth will be crucial.

And with a wave of returning players expected to suit up, the stakes for the series opener couldn’t be higher.