The Edmonton Oilers are on their way to the playoffs for the seventh consecutive time. The Oilers will look to salvage unfinished business from the last two years, when the team fought valiantly but ultimately fell short against the Florida Panthers. As Edmonton braces itself for the postseason, an insider has predicted that there is a good chance that newly acquired center Jason Dickinson will be absent for a good stretch.
Oilers Insider Not Optimistic About Jacob Dickinson’s Early Return
Dickinson’s leg injury has gone rather poorly. The Oilers center sustained it while blocking a shot during Edmonton’s showdown against the San Jose Sharks. While the Oilers took the massive 5-2 win, it had adverse repercussions for the 30-year-old. Dickinson has been out since, and there is little hope that he will return anytime soon.
The Oilers have also been playing without Leon Draisaitl and Zach Hyman, but both participated in the Monday morning skate wearing no-contact jerseys, while Dickinson did not, triggering further speculation about his availability.
Insider Mark Spector believes that the 30-year-old may not return at all for the first round. Appearing on “The Jason Gregor Show”, the Oilers journalist shared his opinion that Dickinson could return in the second round at the earliest.
“I’m just guessing, I will hope for better than this, but I think he might be a round two guy.” Gregor himself holds a more optimistic view, predicting an earlier return for Dickinson for Game 3.
Spector also predicted a Game 3 return for Draisaitl, who has not been playing with the Oilers since March 15. Hyman, on the other hand, is expected to be there for Edmonton Game 1 onwards.
Nonetheless, Dickinson’s absence is bound to have a ripple effect, given his role in the lineup.
Dickinson adds depth to the Oilers’ roster, giving them an edge over other teams. “Nobody has a better one-two punch than McDavid-Draisaitl. But when you add a solid, definitive, third-line center like Dickinson, who fits that role perfectly, now you are better than a lot of teams in all three positions,” Spector explained on the podcast.
The Oilers could very well be without Dickinson and Draisaitl for the first couple of postseason games, which could take a huge toll on the team. Head coach Kris Knoblauch has stated that 24-year-old Joshua Samanski will play Dickinson’s part till the latter returns. However, Samanski is significantly younger and has far less professional experience.
Of course, the Oilers have vast postseason experience to draw upon, and Connor McDavid alone covers a world of hurt, but if Edmonton indeed has to play the first few games without Draisaitl and Dickinson, the team will be stretching its luck a bit too much.
KEEP READING: Oilers Ace Leon Draisaitl Checks In With an Injury Update Ahead of Stanley Cup Playoffs
