The Edmonton Oilers took to the ice this morning for practice, but the team was without several of its top-six forwards.
It is no secret that Evander Kane and Adam Henrique have been playing through some injuries in the playoffs. The former revealed before the postseason that he was fighting a sports hernia, while the latter is believed to be ailing from some unknown lower-body injury.
On Saturday, Oilers head coach Kris Knoblauch said that he expected both those players to be ready for Game 1 against the Vancouver Canucks, but that tune changed a little bit on Monday morning.
“We are hopeful they are available for Game 1,” Knoblauch told reporters after practice. “They were on in the morning [skating by themselves]… and we expect them to be on the ice for practice tomorrow.”
Coach Knoblauch comments on Henrique & Kane’s availability, Bouchard’s contributions from the back end, challenges the Canucks present in their second-round series & more following today’s #Oilers practice.@Enterprise | #LetsGoOilers pic.twitter.com/ok7RORD9Nl
— Edmonton Oilers (@EdmontonOilers) May 6, 2024
Mattias Janmark was playing in Henrique’s usual spot beside Connor McDavid and Zach Hyman on the Oilers’ top line at practice. Connor Brown, who has yet to lace them up in a playoff game this season, was the placeholder for Kane on the second line with Leon Draisaitl and Ryan Nugent-Hopkins.
When asked if that would be the forward lines IF Kane and Henrique can’t play, Knoblauch was not quick to confirm either way.
“We don’t know. We have a lot of guys that could fill in that spot,” the rookie head coach explained. “I guess the lines would be like that, but we expect those other guys to come back.”
Losing even one of those two players would be a big loss for the Oilers. Henrique has looked good playing on a line with McDavid and Hyman and was able to chip in with a big goal in the opening game of their series against the LA Kings.
Kane, though having had a bit of an up-and-down season, was also great for the Oilers in the first round. He led the way physically and could really get under the skin of the Kings. His offensive instincts also kicked in, scoring two goals and three points to help dispatch LA in five games.
The week-long break might have some on the team frustrated with the long gap between games, but the silver lining of such an extended rest could be the difference in Henrique and Kane being ready to roll for Game 1.
They will have at least one more day to get back to 100% as Game 1 goes in Vancouver on Wednesday night.