Edmonton Oilers forward leaves practice early with apparent injury, raising immediate concern
Photo credit: IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect
Jason Dickinson left Edmonton's training camp skate with an apparent injury, raising fresh concerns for an Oilers team already banged up before puck drop.
Edmonton Oilers training camp hasn't even hit full stride yet and there's already a new name to worry about.
TSN's Ryan Rishaug flagged the moment from the ice, noting that Jason Dickinson left Friday's skate looking like he was dealing with an injury.
For a roster already nursing bumps and bruises, this is not the update fans wanted.
Dickinson spent last spring fighting through a fractured fibula, an injury he suffered blocking a shot against San Jose in the final week of the regular season.
He pushed through it in the playoffs anyway, gutting out four games for a banged up Oilers team that fell short.
He told reporters this summer the bone healed naturally and that he expected to be full go by camp.
Seeing him leave the ice early, even briefly, is enough to make Edmonton nervous.
Why the timing feels especially rough
This isn't happening in a vacuum.
Matt Savoie, Mattias Janmark, Frederik Andersen and Alec Regula already opened camp on the shelf.
Add Dickinson to that list, even as a small worry, and general manager Stan Bowman's depth chart starts looking thinner than anyone in Edmonton wants this early.
Dickinson isn't just a body filling a lineup spot either.
He signed a five year extension in June specifically because of his role on the penalty kill and as a steady third line presence.
Losing him for any stretch would ask other forwards to soak up minutes they haven't handled all camp.
What Oilers fans should watch for next
No severity has been confirmed, and it's entirely possible this turns out to be nothing more than maintenance.
Still, after everything Edmonton went through last postseason, patience around injury news is thin.
Expect an update from coach Mike Babcock soon, and expect Oilers fans to be holding their breath until then.
Also read on House Of Hockey :
Connor Hellebuyck's leaked trade list creates a major problem for the Jets
Connor Hellebuyck's leaked trade list creates a major problem for the Jets