Ekholm skates with main group at practice for Oilers
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Edmonton Oilers defenceman Mattias Ekholm skated with the main group at practice on Monday, which was a full skate for the team, TSN's Ryan Rishaug reports.
Oilers head coach Kris Knoblauch told reporters on Friday that both Ekholm and goaltender Calvin Pickard would miss at least the first two games of the Western Conference Final while they deal with injuries, but Knoblauch was confident that Ekholm would be able to play later in the series.
Edmonton opens their series against the Dallas Stars on Wednesday in a rematch of last year's Western Conference Final that saw the Oilers win in six games.
Ekholm has been taking light skates after missing the last month with an undisclosed injury.
The 34-year-old defenceman spent much of March and April out of the lineup before being ruled out indefinitely near the end of the regular season. He has not yet played in the 2025 postseason.
Prior to the injury, Ekholm had nine goals and 24 assists for 33 points in 65 games during the regular season.
The Oilers are in the Western Conference Final for the third time in four years.
Pickard backstopped the Oilers to six straight wins before being forced to miss Game 3 against the Vegas Golden Knights with an undisclosed injury. He had previously been labelled day-to-day. With his 6-0 record, Pickard also holds a .888 save percentage and a 2.84 goals-against average.
Stuart Skinner, who opened the playoffs as Edmonton's starter, bounced back from dropping Game 3 with shutouts in both Games 4 and 5 as the Oilers eliminated in the Golden Knights. Skinner is 2-3 with a .884 save percentage and a 3.05 GAA.