What Happened
The Edmonton Oilers are expected to have centre Jason Dickinson and defenceman Mattias Ekholm back in the lineup for Wednesday's game against the Calgary Flames, according to Sportsnet. Dickinson, who was activated from injured reserve on Wednesday, has been out since Oct. 15 with an undisclosed injury suffered in practice. Ekholm missed the previous two games with a concussion. The returns come as forward Zach Hyman heads to injured reserve.
Key Details
- Dickinson has played three games this season, recording one assist while averaging 12:12 of ice time.
- He also missed the first three games of the season with a foot injury.
- Ekholm has one goal and two assists in 10 games.
- Ekholm is expected to replace Jake Walman, who will be a healthy scratch.
- Zach Hyman is heading to injured reserve.
What It Means
Edmonton gets two regulars back as it deals with Hyman's move to injured reserve. Dickinson has had a stop-start season because of injuries, while Ekholm returns to a defence corps that sat him for two games after a concussion. Walman's scratch suggests the club has enough depth on the back end to make him the odd man out for now.
What's Next
The Oilers host the Flames on Wednesday. Dickinson's and Ekholm's usage will show how quickly they return to regular roles, and the team will need to adjust its forward group with Hyman on injured reserve.