EDMONTON – The Edmonton Oilers secured their spot in the Stanley Cup Playoffs with a 4-2 win over the San Jose Sharks on Friday, but the victory came at a steep cost.
Captain Connor McDavid was dominant, notching assists on all four Oilers goals, but the team lost two key players in the process — top defenseman Mattias Ekholm and forward Zach Hyman both exited the game with injuries and did not return.
Head coach Kris Knoblauch acknowledged the concern, noting that one of the two might not be ready in time for the postseason opener. However, he emphasized that no definitive prognosis would be made until team doctors conduct evaluations.
“Yeah, possibly one of those guys,” Knoblauch said, when asked if either player might miss the playoffs. “But without seeing the doctor and getting an update … we’ll wait and see.”
Pressed further, he declined to specify which player is in jeopardy of missing time.
The injuries only compound the team’s already-depleted lineup. The Oilers are currently without several key contributors, including league-leading goal scorer Leon Draisaitl (undisclosed), Ryan Nugent-Hopkins (illness), and Jake Walman (undisclosed). Also sidelined are Trent Frederic (ankle), Evander Kane (hip, knee), and John Klingberg (lower body).
“We’ve been pretty lucky up to this point with injuries, but that luck seems to have run out,” Knoblauch admitted. “Some of it’s just bad timing — freak accidents and guys we thought were ready coming back only to go down again.”
Veteran Corey Perry reflected on the situation, acknowledging it’s a tough stretch for the team.
“It’s definitely challenging,” he said. “Those are two big pieces of our lineup. But that’s the reality of hockey — every team deals with this at some point. We have depth and guys who can step up. That’s what we’ll rely on now.”
Defenseman Brett Kulak echoed the sentiment.
“You always want your full roster heading into the playoffs,” Kulak said. “But this has been going on for a while now. Guys have stepped into bigger roles and handled it well. That’s encouraging moving forward.”
There was at least one positive on the injury front: goaltender Stuart Skinner was back in the lineup after missing time, though Calvin Pickard got the start and made 22 saves in the win.
The victory ensured the Oilers clinched a postseason berth for the sixth consecutive season — their second-longest streak since their record-setting run of 13 straight playoff appearances starting in 1979-80.
“This league is so competitive. Just getting to the playoffs is a big accomplishment,” Kulak said. “It’s been a rollercoaster year, but we’ve fought through.”
Evan Bouchard, Ty Emberson, Corey Perry, and Connor Brown scored for the Oilers (46-28-5), who have now won two straight and five of their last seven.
McDavid’s return has been monumental — he now has seven assists in just two games since coming back from an eight-game absence.
“He’s the best player in the world for a reason,” Perry said. “He looks like himself again, flying out there and creating plays. It’s great to have him back.”
With three games left in the regular season, McDavid sits just three points shy of hitting 100 for the fifth straight season and eighth time overall — a feat only Wayne Gretzky (15), Mario Lemieux (10), and Marcel Dionne (8) have also accomplished.
McDavid also joined elite company with his seventh 70-assist season, a milestone only shared with Gretzky (16) and Lemieux (8). On top of that, he passed Gretzky for the most career points on Edmonton’s opening goals, with 165.
While the Oilers celebrate their playoff berth, the focus now shifts to the health of their lineup — and whether they’ll be at full strength when the real battle begins.
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