Oilers defenseman Mattias Ekholm has resumed skating as he works his way back from an undisclosed injury, relays YEG Sports Talk’s Tom Gazzola (Twitter link). However, it’s still believed that he’s still weeks away from returning. Already ruled out for this round, it appears that the 34-year-old might be in tough to suit up in the Western Conference Final if Edmonton were to make it there. Ekholm is a critical cog on their back end, playing a key shutdown role while also being a solid secondary contributor after notching 33 points in 65 games this season. However, it looks like he’s still not particularly close to returning.
Elsewhere around the NHL:
- The Department of Player Safety announced that Maple Leafs winger Max Domi has been fined $5K, the maximum allowable under the CBA, for a boarding incident against Florida on Sunday. The incident occurred in the dying seconds of regulation on a hit on Aleksander Barkov. Domi received a major penalty on the play but won’t receive any further discipline beyond the fine.
- It appears a decision on Evan Rodrigues’ availability will come closer to game time on Tuesday. Team reporter Rob Darragh mentions that Panthers head coach Paul Maurice indicated that the winger hasn’t been cleared to play in the fifth game against Toronto but hasn’t been ruled out yet either. Rodrigues left Sunday’s game early in the third period following a hit from Oliver Ekman-Larsson and did not return. He has three assists in nine games so far this postseason.
- Rangers forward Brett Berard has withdrawn from Team USA’s roster at the Worlds, relays Mollie Walker of the New York Post. The injury is believed to be a minor one and he’s expected to have a full offseason of preparation and be ready for the start of training camp in the fall. The 22-year-old made his NHL debut in late November and got into 35 games with the big club, notching six goals and four assists. Berard also added 23 points in 30 games with AHL Hartford.
How ’bout this for a rule change: any major penalty that occurs in the last minute of a game that doesn’t go into OT has to be served during the next game. Might make players think twice before taking a late cheap shot.
I like that idea for the playoffs. But where are all the hypocrites who come on here crying about the dirty cheap shot Panthers but crickets otherwise. I guess if the price to pay is 5k to attempt to injure a key player for the other team then that is a bad precedent for the NHL.
Great. Give the idiot referees more power.