According to several sources, confirmed on Monday, the Edmonton Oilers have essentially finalized their lineup ahead of Game 1 of the 2025 Stanley Cup Playoffs against the Los Angeles Kings. Stuart Skinner officially gets the start, while head coach Kris Knoblauch also confirmed a handful of players will be out of the lineup, including Evander Kane, Mattias Ekholm, and Troy Stecher.
The good news is that Brett Kulak returns to the lineup after missing time to be with his family following the birth of his second daughter, Skyler Brooklyn Kulak. His presence should bring stability to a defensive group that needed some experience without Ekholm. Jake Walman is also back in. The bad news is that the team will still be without John Klingberg, who remains sidelined with a long-term injury. Josh Brown will get some time, while his minutes might be limited.
Up front, forward Trent Frederic remains a game-time decision due to a high ankle sprain. Notably, Frederic was off the ice during the morning skate while Kasperi Kapanen remained on, suggesting the Oilers may be leaning toward a third line that includes Skinner, Ryan Nugent-Hopkins, and Frederic. If he’s healthy enough to go, that’s a big return for the Oilers.
Evander Kane Remains Out… But Why?
Evander Kane will also miss the series opener due to injury, and there are some questions about what is holding up his return. World Hockey Report cited Elliotte Friedman’s comments from the 32 Thoughts podcast that both Evander Kane and Gabriel Landeskog aren’t playing early in their respective series because the league is going after teams now for LTIR violations. If true, that could explain why Edmonton is sitting Kane for Game 1, but he could be ready for Game 2.
Puck drop is scheduled for 8:00 PM MT in Los Angeles, where the Oilers hope some returning key pieces will give them an early edge in the best-of-seven series.
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