Oilers secure playoff spot in 4-2 win, but lose 2 key players to injury

Shane Jones · The Canadian Press

· Posted: Apr 12, 2025 11:11 AM EDT | Last Updated: 7 minutes ago

Connor McDavid assisted connected each 4 goals arsenic the Edmonton Oilers clinched a playoff berth with a 4-2 triumph implicit the last-place San Jose Sharks connected Friday — but it came astatine a outgo arsenic injuries to cardinal players proceed to equine astatine the worst imaginable time.

Top-pairing defenceman Mattias Ekholm and guardant Zach Hyman near the crippled with injuries and did not return.

Oilers caput manager Kris Knoblauch said 1 of the players mightiness not beryllium acceptable successful clip for the commencement of the playoffs, but added it was excessively aboriginal to marque immoderate steadfast diagnosis.

"Yeah, perchance 1 of those guys," helium said. "But without seeing the doc and getting an update from them to look astatine it intimately … yeah, we'll hold and see.

"No, I won't accidental which [player]," helium added.

This is connected apical of an already awfully depleted lineup. Edmonton is missing league-leading extremity scorer Leon Draisaitl (undisclosed), guardant Ryan Nugent-Hopkins (illness) and defenceman Jake Walman (undisclosed), successful summation to Trent Frederic (ankle), Evander Kane (hip, knee) and John Klingberg (lower body).

"We've been precise fortunate successful the past, not losing guys and present our luck has tally out," Knoblauch said. "Some freak accidents and feeling those players were acceptable to instrumentality and it's conscionable unfortunate circumstances wherever those things tin happen."

Veteran guardant Corey Perry said it is decidedly a trying clip for the team.

"It's tough," helium said. "Teams are each going done it and we're going done it close now. It's pugnacious to see. Two large holes spell down, those guys play a batch of minutes and important roles for our team. But we person guys who aren't successful the lineup who tin measurement successful and lend and guys who are successful the lineup who tin possibly bash a small spot more. We'll get done this and determination forward.

"In an perfect world, you privation to person everybody playing astatine their apical level, everybody steadfast and everybody acceptable to go. But we person a fewer much games to fig that retired and beryllium ready."

Oilers defenceman Brett Kulak said the lone happening the remainder of the squad tin bash is beryllium prepared to reply the call.

"It's pugnacious to see. You privation each your guys successful the lineup, but tons of our apical guys, impactful guys, are coming out," helium said. "It's not similar this happened the past mates of days, it's been a period oregon truthful and determination are guys who are stepping up and taking connected a bigger role. That's promising."

The lone bully quality connected the wounded beforehand was the instrumentality of starting goalie Stuart Skinner, though helium served arsenic backup to Calvin Pickard, who made 22 stops to cod the win.

Despite the heavy concerns connected the wounded front, the Oilers secured a post-season berth for the sixth consecutive season, their second-longest agelong since making it 13 years successful a enactment upon entering the NHL successful 1979-80.

"It's not casual to do. There are a batch of bully teams successful the league," Kulak said. "It was an up and down twelvemonth a batch of the time. Just to get determination is simply a bully feeling."

Evan Bouchard, Ty Emberson, Perry and Connor Brown scored for the Oilers (46-28-5), who person won 2 consecutive and 5 of their past seven.

Of course, McDavid's instrumentality has been monolithic for Edmonton. He has 7 assists successful 2 outings since coming backmost from an eight-game wounded absence.

"He's made a immense difference," Perry said. "He's the champion subordinate successful the satellite for a reason. He's travel successful and looked similar Connor McDavid and we don't expect thing different. That's who helium is and that's however helium plays each and each night.

"It's bully to person him backmost and bully to person him flying similar helium usually does."

With 3 games remaining, McDavid is 3 points shy of hitting 100 connected the play for the 5th twelvemonth successful a enactment and eighth clip successful his career. Only Wayne Gretzky (15), Mario Lemieux (10) and Marcel Dionne (eight) person had 8 seasons with 100 oregon much points.

McDavid besides became the 3rd subordinate successful NHL past to grounds 7 70-assist seasons, joining Gretzky (16) and Lemieux (eight).

Adding to the grounds book, the Oilers skipper factored successful connected Edmonton's archetypal extremity of the crippled for the 165th clip successful his career, passing Gretzky for the astir points connected opening goals successful squad history.