Edmonton Oilers defenceman Oscar Klefbom underwent successful surgery to repair broken bones in his left pinky which will cause him to miss an indefinite period of time, the team announced on Saturday.

The news comes as a major blow to an Oilers team that has put themsleves in playoff position after winning eight of their past ten games.

Klefbom, the Oilers' 2011 first-round pick, has three goals and twelve assists this season while leading the team in average ice time at over twenty-five minutes per game.

The injury occurred during a game against the Colorado Avalanche on Dec. 11, when Klefbom took a puck to the hand while blocking a shot.

Klefbom's absence hurts an already depleted Oillers' blueline, as defenceman Kris Russell is on IR with an undisclosed injury.

The Oilers' are also waiting for defenceman Andrej Sekera to return from offseason surgery on a torn Achilles tendon.