Edmonton Oilers Injury Update: Kassian Healthy, Hendricks Close
The Edmonton Oilers have been dealing with the injury bug to start 2016-17, but have been masking their issue with great hockey.
Now, they do have some players that are nearing a return. As they ready to face off against the New York Rangers Sunday, Edmonton will have Kassian in the lineup.
The winger has been out for a week following a lower-body injury, but now, he is ready to return to the ice.
“I’m 100 percent and excited to get back,” Kassian said following Saturday’s practice.
With Kassian expected to return, the Oilers have reassigned winger Taylor Beck to the Bakersfield Condors.
The 6-foot-3, 217-pound winger has been a force for the Oilers this season. Through 14, games, he has been great, posting four points and a 1.7 relative Fenwick. His hard work and grit, with 30 hits and six takeaways to boot, has earned him a promotion to the second line.
Also close to returning to the lineup is winger Matt Hendricks. The veteran has been hurt to start the year, but is finally recovering. While he has been skating and participating in practice, he is not quite ready to return to the rink just yet.
Matt Hendricks also participated in #Oilers practice today but said following the skate "I'm not where I want to be quite yet."
— Edmonton Oilers (@EdmontonOilers) November 12, 2016
He did mention that he is proud of his team’s 9-5-1 record to kick things off.
Drake Caggiula, Iiro Pakarinen and Brandon Davidson are still ways off from returning. Andrew Ference will remain on the LTIR for the rest of the season. He is expected to retire after this year.
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