Oilers’ Ekholm still out, Pickard returns as backup for Game 4 against Stars
Posted May 27, 2025 11:00 am.
A familiar face will remain out of the Edmonton Oilers lineup on Tuesday.
Defenceman Mattias Ekholm won’t play in Game 4 of the Western Conference Final against the Dallas Stars as he continues to recover from an undisclosed injury, head coach Kris Knoblauch told reporters.
Meanwhile, goalie Calvin Pickard will return as a backup to Stuart Skinner while forward Viktor Arvidsson draws in for the injured Connor Brown.
Ekholm, 35, has been out since mid-April. He recorded nine goals and 33 points this season while logging over 22 minutes of ice time a night. He has 12 goals and 52 points in 112 career playoff games.
During Edmonton’s run to the Stanley Cup Final last year, the six-foot-five, 225-pound defenceman potted five goals and played nearly 22 minutes a night.
Troy Stecher has stepped up in Ekholm’s absence since Round 2, joining Darnell Nurse on a steady defence pairing.
A backup for most of the season, Pickard took over the crease during Game 3 of the first round against the Los Angeles Kings and backstopped the Oilers to six straight wins.
But the 33-year-old was injured during Game 2 against the Vegas Golden Knights on May 8 and has not played since.
