The Dallas Stars and Edmonton Oilers are set to clash in the NHL’s Western Conference Final for the second consecutive year—and the fourth time they meet with a trip to the Stanley Cup Final on the line. Ahead of Game 1 in Dallas, head coach Kris Knoblauch issued a significant update on the potential return of two key teammates to Connor McDavid’s lineup.
McDavid and the Oilers are hoping to repeat the success they had last season when they eliminated the Stars in six games to advance to the Stanley Cup Final, though they ultimately lost in the grand stage.
After knocking the Vegas Golden Knights out of the Stanley Cup Playoffs in the Second Round, Knoblauch’s Oilers are ready to go to battle against the Stars. Dallas is coming off a dramatic overtime victory to advance past the Winnipeg Jets in a series that meant much more than just hockey.
The Oilers have played every series without home-ice advantage, fully embracing the villain role as they walk into the most intimidating environments in the NHL and walk out seemingly unbothered and victorious. Their achievements are magnified as they’ve battled through injuries to key players like Mattias Ekholm and Calvin Pickard.
Head coach Kris Knoblauch of the Edmonton Oilers looks on against the Chicago Blackhawks during the second period at the United Center on January 11, 2025 in Chicago, Illinois.
On that note, Knoblauch delivered a confident update on the timelines for both the blueliner and netminder to return to the lineup and aid McDavid and company in their pursuit of Edmonton’s sixth Stanley Cup in franchise history.
see also
Wayne Gretzky names 4x Stanley Cup champ as the toughest goaltender he faced in his NHL career: ‘He hated me and I hated him’
“[Ekholm is] day to day and I’m not anticipating him being ready for Game 1 or 2,” Knoblauch said, via NHL.com. “But we’re optimistic that maybe some time in the third round he will join us. Probably not when the series starts, but I would think [Pickard] probably sometime in the same timeline as Ekholm, sometime during the series. Certainly not Game 1, but sometime in the middle.”
Key absences
Ekholm hasn’t played for McDavid’s Oilers since April 11 during the NHL regular season. Since, the 34-year-old blueliner has been dealing with an undisclosed injury. Prior to the injury, he appeared in 69 games for Edmonton, registering 33 points (9 goals, 24 assists) in the 2024-25 campaign.
As for Pickard, the goaltender who had come in on Stuart Skinner’s aid after Game 2 of the First Round suffered a lower-body injury in Game 2 of the Second Round matchup with Vegas.
Although Pickard acts as a buffer in the bench, Skinner has been on an absolute tear lately and Oil Country is as confident as ever in their goaltending heading to a Western Conference Final showdown against the Stars.
Calvin Pickard #30 of the Edmonton Oilers prepares to play against the New Jersey Devils at Prudential Center on March 13, 2025 in Newark, New Jersey
Fasten your seatbelts
Now, Edmonton and Dallas are gearing up for an electric matchup at the gates of the Stanley Cup Final in a series that could very well be decided by the goaltenders. With Jake Oettinger and Stuart Skinner between the pipes, their performances could be the decisive factor between two evenly-matched star-studded offenses and solid defenses with no shortage of production on the opposite end of the ice.
see also
Dallas Stars: Their journey to Stanley Cup glory
The Oilers and Stars boast the two highest-scoring defensemen in the postseason—Evan Bouchard with 12 points and Thomas Harley with 11. They also feature the top-performing forwards so far in the playoffs, with Connor McDavid and Mikko Rantanen leading the charge.
SurveyWho will advance to the Stanley Cup Final?
Who will advance to the Stanley Cup Final?
ALREADY VOTED 0 PEOPLE
The table is set for an electric showdown swinging between American Airlines Center and Rogers Place. The winner will punch their ticket to the Stanley Cup Final—a monumental reward after a grueling journey through the West, yet merely the beginning of a battle all the marbles against the Eastern Conference champion.
