Oilers Clinch Playoffs but Face Injury Woes as Ekholm and Hyman Exit Early
So, big news coming out of Edmonton last night—the Oilers locked in their playoff spot with a 4-2 win over the San Jose Sharks, but it wasn’t all celebration. There’s some real concern brewing around the status of two key players: Mattias Ekholm and Zach Hyman, who both left the game early and didn’t return. And what’s even more nerve-wracking? The team hasn’t provided a lot of detail—classic playoff secrecy, right?
Let’s start with Ekholm. He was actually making his return after missing a good chunk of time with an undisclosed injury—seven games to be exact, and 13 of the last 17 overall. Everyone was hyped to see him back on the blue line, but that excitement didn’t last long. He only managed two shifts in the first period and seemed off right away. He fell a couple of times, had his skates looked at, and that was pretty much it. He skated briefly during a whistle, then called it a night. Just 1:30 of ice time. It didn’t look good. And if you’ve followed the Oilers this season, you know how important Ekholm is, especially when it comes to stabilizing the back end and eating up tough minutes. Coach Kris Knoblauch said one of the players might not be available for Game 1 of the playoffs, but didn’t specify who—so that definitely leaves us guessing.
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Now, Hyman—he also exited early, though not quite as abruptly. He got a little over seven minutes of ice time, took two shots, and then just didn’t come back. Again, no clear reason given. Hyman’s been solid this season, putting up 27 goals and 14 assists through 72 games. He brings energy, scoring, and grit—all the things you want heading into playoff hockey. Losing him, even temporarily, would be a blow.
And let’s not forget, this all comes just as Edmonton finally got another key player, goalie Stuart Skinner, back from a head injury. Skinner didn’t play last night—he backed up Calvin Pickard—but he’s expected to start one of the upcoming back-to-back games. So the roster is kind of a mixed bag right now. Some guys are returning, others are dropping off, and the playoffs are literally around the corner.
The Oilers have three regular season games left, and with the postseason looming, the big question is: will they be healthy enough to make a deep run? Clinching a playoff spot for the sixth straight year is great, no doubt—but if Ekholm and Hyman can’t go when the real grind starts, that depth is going to be tested fast.
So yeah, the Oilers got the win. They’re in. But this victory came with a cloud hanging over it. And now, all eyes are on the injury reports and that Game 1 lineup.
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