The Edmonton Oilers are nonetheless alive within the 2025 NHL Stanley Cup playoffs, as they’re about to see motion within the Western Convention ultimate in opposition to the Dallas Stars. That sequence is ready to begin on Wednesday on the American Airways Heart in Dallas, with the Oilers seemingly having the potential to get defenseman Mattias Ekholm again in motion.
Ekholm has but to play this postseason due to an undisclosed harm. Nonetheless, there’s a good signal that he might be again on the ice sooner reasonably than later, and doubtlessly within the sequence opener in opposition to the Stars.
On Monday, the 34-year-old veteran blueliner reportedly went on a full skate with the principle Oilers group, as famous by Ryan Rishaug of TSN.
The final time Ekholm hit the ice in an NHL sport was again on April 11 versus the San Jose Sharks at dwelling, the place he logged solely roughly two minutes of ice time. Earlier than lacking video games, the Swedish NHL veteran had scored 9 targets to go along with 24 assists for a complete of 33 factors by means of 65 contests within the 2024-25 common season.
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Regardless of lacking Ekholm’s providers, the Oilers have managed to outlive within the first two rounds of the playoffs. After lacking the primary two video games of its date within the first spherical in opposition to the Los Angeles Kings, Edmonton racked up 4 straight victories to advance to the second spherical. The Oilers then eradicated the Vegas Golden Knights in simply 5 video games to e book their tickets to the Western Convention Last.
Edmonton has reached this far in postseason play largely due to the crew’s unimaginable 1-2 punch of Hart Memorial Trophy winners in Connor McDavid and Leon Draisaitl. To date within the playoffs, McDavid has three targets and 14 assists, whereas Draisaitl has 5 targets and 11 assists. Their goaltending has additionally proven up of late, significantly Stuart Skinner, who had two shutout performances to shut out the Golden Knights sequence.
The Oilers and the Stars additionally met within the 2024 NHL playoffs in the identical spherical, with Edmonton overcoming a 2-1 sequence deficit to achieve the Stanley Cup Finals, the place they misplaced in seven video games to the Florida Panthers.