Ice Chips: Draisaitl, Dickinson game-time decisions for Oilers in Game 1 vs. Ducks

Keep updated on all the injury news and roster updates from around the NHL with daily Ice Chips.

Edmonton Oilers

Forwards Leon Draisaitl and Jason Dickinson are both possibilities for the Oilers as they open their first-round series against the Anaheim Ducks on Monday.

Head coach Kris Knoblauch wouldn’t confirm that either player was available but both forwards are considered game-time decisions heading into Game 1.

Draisaitl hasn’t played since March 15 while dealing with a lower-body injury.

The 6-foot-2 superstar centre recorded 35 goals and 97 points in 65 games before the injury.

This season will be Draisaitl’s eighth playoff campaign and has scored 52 goals and 141 points in 96 contests, leading the Oilers to back-to-back Stanley Cup Final appearances in 2024 and 2025.

Dickinson, 30, missed the Oilers final three games of the regular season with a lower-body injury.

The 6-foot-2 centre was acquired, along with forward Colton Dach, from the Chicago Blackhawks on March 4 in exchange for winger Andrew Mangiapane and a draft pick.

Dickinson had a goal and four points in 17 games as an Oiler and seven goals and 17 points 64 games split between the Blackhawks and Oilers.

Ottawa Senators

The Ottawa Senators will be missing defenceman Tyler Kleven again in Game 2 of their opening-round series against the Carolina Hurricanes tonight.

The 24-year-old skated in a non-contact jersey in practice ahead of Saturday’s series opener, but was ruled out before puck drop.

Kleven took a puck to the face against the Sabres six minutes into the contest and departed the game as Ottawa went on to win 4-1.

The fourth-year player played in 70 games in the regular season and finished with a career-high 18 points (three goals, 15 assists).

Defenceman Artem Zub will be a game-time decision. He left Saturday’s game in the second period with an undisclosed injury. Zub finished this season with five goals and a career-high 30 points in 81 games played.

Carolina Hurricanes

Frederik Andersen is expected to be back in net on Monday when the Hurricanes take on the Ottawa Senators in Game 2 of their first-round series.

Andersen, 36, made 22 saves to claim a 2-0 shutout win over Ottawa on Saturday.

The 6-foot-4 netminder had a 16-14-5 record last season with an .874 save percentage and 3.05 goals-against average.

He has appeared in 86 playoff appearances during his 13-season career, going 47-35 and six shutouts with a .914 save percentage and 2.37 GAA split between the Anaheim Ducks, Toronto Maple Leafs, and Hurricanes.

The Hurricanes used these lines during Monday’s morning skate prior to Game 2:

Dallas Stars

The Stars will continue to miss forward Roope Hintz for Games 2 and 3 as he continues to recover from a lower-body injury, confirmed head coach Glen Gulutzan.

Hintz, 29, hasn’t played since March 6 and recorded 15 goals and 44 points in 53 games this season.

Gulutzan indicated prior to the beginning of the series that Hintz’s availability in Round 1 was in question.

The Minnesota Wild hold a 1-0 series advantage after taking Game 1 with a 6-1 score on Saturday.

Dallas used these lines during Monday’s morning skate prior to Game 2:

Minnesota Wild

Jesper Wallstedt is expected to be in net for the Wild’s Game 2 matchup against the Dallas Stars on Monday, according to Michael Russo of The Athletic.

Wallstedt, 23, allowed a goal on 28 shots to give his team a one-game advantage in their best-of-seven series.

The 6-foor-3 netminder had a phenomenal rookie season in Minnesota, going 18-9-6 with a .916 save percentage and 2.61 goals-against average while recording four shutouts.

Philadelphia Flyers

The Flyers recalled defencemen Oliver Bonk and David Jiricek from the AHL’s Lehigh Valley Phantoms ahead of Game 2 of their first-round playoff series against the Pittsburgh Penguisn on Monday.

Jiricek and Bonk both wrapped up their AHL season on Sunday as the Phantoms missed the playoffs with a 31-35-6 record.

Bonk, 21, was drafted 22nd overall by the Flyers in 2023 and recorded six goals and 19 points in 46 AHL games as part of his first season of professional hockey. He made his NHL debut in the Flyers’ regular season finale on Tuesday, recording a goal and two points on 16:28 of ice time in a 4-2 win over the Montreal Canadiens.

The 6-foot-2, right-shot defenceman was previously a highly regarded blueliner in the Ontario Hockey League, recording 11 goals and 40 points in 52 games with the London Knights in 2024-25.

He helped lead the team to back-to-back OHL championships and a Memorial Cup title last season.

Jiricek, 22, was acquired from the Minnesota Wild prior to March’s trade deadline in exchange for forward Bobby Brink.

The 6-foot-4, right-shot defenceman apepared in 26 games this season split between the Wild and Flyers, averaging 12:01 of ice time without recording a point.

He also had four goals and 23 points in 39 AHL games split between the Iowa Wild and Phantoms.

Jiricek was originally drafted sixth overall by the Columbus Blue Jackets in 2022 before he was traded to the Wild in November of 2024.

Pittsburgh Penguins

Stuart Skinner will return to the net when the Penguins host the Philadelphia Flyers for Game 2 of thier first-round series on Monday, confirmed head coach Dan Muse.

Skinner, 27, allowed three goals on 20 shots in the Penguins’ 3-2 Game 1 loss to the Flyers.

The 6-foot-4 netminder was acquired, along with defenceman Brett Kulak and a draft pick, from the Edmonton Oilers on Dec. 12 in exchange for goaltender Tristan Jarry and forward Sam Poulin.

He put up 23-17-9 record split between the Oilers and Penguins this season with an .888 save percentage and 2.92 goals-against average,

The Edmonton natve has started 51 playoff games during his six-season career, going 26-23 and four shutouts with an .892 save percentage and 2.89 GAA. He helped the Oilers to back-to-back Stanley Cup Final appearances in 2024 and 2025.

Tampa Bay Lightning

Lightning captain Victor Hedman ahead of Monday’s practice as his team prepares for Game 2 of their first-round series against the Montreal Canadiens.

Hedman, 35, hasn’t suited up for the Lightning since March 19 due to personal reasons.

The 6-foot7, left-shot defenceman had returned to the team and began skating prior to Tampa Bay’s 4-3 overtime loss in Game 1, but wasn’t ready to participate.

Hedman missed nearly a month earlier in the season with an undisclosed injury and then missed most of December and all of January due to elbow surgery.

He suited up for Sweden at Milano Cortina 2026 but was unable to play in the 2-1 quarter-final loss against the United States due to a lower-body injury suffered in warmups.

Hedman has a goal and 17 points in 33 games this season while averaging 18:52 of ice time.

A two-time Stanley Cup champion, Hedman has skated in 1,164 career NHL games since being selected second overall by the Lightning in 2009, scoring 172 goals with 811 points.

He also took home the Norris Trophy in 2018 and the Conn Smythe Trophy in 2020 as playoff MVP.

Additionally, head coach Jon Cooper told reporters that defenceman Charle-Edouard D’Astous will unlikely be available for Game 2 against the Canadiens.

D’Astous, 27, was injured in the second period of Game 1 after taking a hit behind his own net from Canadiens forwards Josh Anderson and Jake Evans.

Cooper added that either Declan Carlile or Maxwell Crozier could take D’Astous’ spot if he is unable to go.

The 6-foot-2 blueliner had six goals and 29 points in 70 games in the regular season.

Montreal holds a 1-0 lead over the Lightning in their best-of-seven first-round series.