Five Edmonton Oilers players who have stepped up during this playoff run

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Kasperi Kapanen waited patiently for his chance to impact the Edmonton Oilers’ postseason. When he got the opportunity, he scored a huge goal and will go down in Oilers lore because of it. Kapanen also checks off the “Oilers haven’t won a Stanley Cup without a Finnish player” box, making him handy in multiple areas.

Kapanen isn’t the only player who didn’t make the cut in Game 1 of the playoffs who found a way to make a difference. Here’s a look at some key players who increased individual playing time despite being on the sidelines for Game 1, plus a couple of candidates who could get a look in the third round to come.

Evander Kane

The big winger’s first game of the 2024-25 NHL season came on April 23, Edmonton’s second playoff game. He had been gone so long the memory of his impressive skill set had faded into the background for some.

It didn’t take long for Kane to remind everyone of what he can do in a hockey game. He scored his first goal to tie Game 3 of the L.A. series, and is 4-3-7 (all at even strength) through his first 10 games this season.

That only tells a portion of the story. Per Natural Stat Trick, he’s averaging 10.7 hits per 60 at five-on-five; those hits pack a wallop and softened opposition defencemen over the length of each series played so far this spring.

Kane’s five-on-five outscoring (60 percent) and expected goal share (65 percent) are among the best on the Oilers and across the entire NHL. In fact, his expected goal share ranks top five among NHL forwards who have played more than 100 minutes during this year’s postseason.

A healthy Kane is a massive difference-maker for these Oilers.

Calvin Pickard

Pickard dressed as the backup for Game 1 against the Kings on April 21. Stuart Skinner held the net for the entire game despite a disappointing result. Pickard did get into game action during the second game, then started and won Game 3. From there, he led the Oilers to a fantastic six-game winning streak:

All numbers via Natural Stat Trick

Pickard’s save percentage and quality starts percentage (33 percent) were not strong, but in this case, the numbers do not tell the entire story. He calmed the waters for a reeling Oilers team that was down two games to zero in the opening series against Los Angeles.

The only reason he came out of the net was injury. The time Pickard spent in the net allowed Skinner a chance to reset. In this way, the two men delivered in the same roles as one year ago, except Pickard held the net for longer this time.

After two consecutive shutouts to close the series against the Vegas Golden Knights, it’s likely Skinner gets the nod to start the next round. No one should forget about the strong and important performance by Pickard, who delivered a quality five-on-five save percentage (.914) before his injury.

John Klingberg

The puck-moving defenceman entered the series the same night as Kane. Klingberg was the defensive replacement for Josh Brown, who was used sparingly in the Game 1 loss.

Since then, Klingberg has delivered as one half of an exceptional defensive pairing. At five-on-five, he and Jake Walman have a 4-2 edge in goals in almost 100 minutes of play. The tandem has taken on some tough assignments and proven worthy of the minutes afforded them by the coaching staff.

He has played so well for Edmonton that it’s uncertain he will come out of the lineup when Mattias Ekholm returns. A midseason signing by Stan Bowman that appeared to be much ado about nothing blossomed into a significant defensive fix after the playoffs began.

Kasperi Kapanen

A legendary goal that will live forever in the hearts and minds of Oilers fans. Kapanen joins the likes of unlikely heroes such as David Desharnais, Brad Winchester and Mark Lamb in Oilers lore.

Kapanen’s presence on the Edmonton roster came via a waiver claim from the St. Louis Blues in mid-November. At the time of the claim, Oilers fans were still smarting from the dual offer sheets that saw Philip Broberg and Dylan Holloway leave Edmonton for Missouri. At the time of the claim, there was plenty of online commentary about the irony of the Oilers having to take on a waiver player from the Blues.

The Oilers valued Kapanen’s rambunctious style and relentless pursuit of the puck, and that paid off handsomely on Wednesday night in Las Vegas. Kapanen had to sit through almost the entirety of both series before getting to play, but he made it all count with the goal that sent the Oilers to the third round.

Troy Stecher

Stecher keeps hanging around this Oilers roster and making himself useful. Undersized for the defence position in the NHL, Stecher makes up for it with fearlessness and abandon. His importance to the team showed up once he finally got into the lineup, as his defensive partner, Darnell Nurse, saw his game improve once reunited with Stecher.

In the 10 games Nurse played before Stecher’s insertion into the lineup, the big man owned a 38 percent goal share. In the first game the duo played together in this spring’s playoffs, the Oilers outscored the Golden Knights 1-0 and owned a 65 percent expected-goal share (all numbers five-on-five, via Natural Stat Trick).

Like Kapanen, Stecher is an end-of-the-roster player, and with Ekholm possibly returning in the next series, his playing time will once again be in doubt. Based on Stecher’s ability to find a way into the lineup (and succeed), don’t count him out.

Who’s next?

The list of healthy scratches from the final game against Vegas has grown. Among the candidates for “next man up,” there are several who could reasonably be expected to find their way into a playoff game this spring.

Ekholm is the obvious name on the list, he’ll be inserted into the lineup as soon as possible. He may play depth minutes until ready to slide into the heart of the game, but there’s no doubt this team needs his top-flight play.

Derek Ryan is a right-handed centre with penalty-killing ability. He’s also one of the smartest players in the game. Noah Philp is a similar player who’s younger and more mobile.

A rugged winger like Max Jones might draw in against a belligerent opponent like the Florida Panthers. Josh Brown might see another game in this postseason for the same reason.

Names like Ty Emberson, Jeff Skinner and Viktor Arvidsson could also slide back into the lineup in the days to come.

Edmonton hasn’t enjoyed this kind of depth in a long time. It’s important to remember that even among players who dress every game, a quick move up the depth chart can change fortunes and careers forever. Petr Klima’s 1990 overtime goal in the Stanley Cup Final against Boston is the ultimate example; Kapanen’s is the most recent.

(Photo of Evander Kane: Stephen R. Sylvanie / Imagn Images)

This news was originally published on this post .

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