- May 21, 2026
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The preseason injury woes surrounding the Edmonton Oilers will haunt the team heading into the regular season.
Speaking to reporters after morning skate on Tuesday, head coach Mike Babcock said a few players are expected to be out long-term.
On top of forward Ryan Nugent-Hopkins missing the first game due to a lower-body injury, Babcock believes that he’ll be out for around two weeks. Defenseman Jason Dickinson, who was already projected to miss the start of the 2026-27 campaign, “hasn’t been able to push it yet,” according to Babcock. For forward Matthew Savoie, Babcock states that he’s more than seven weeks out from returning, while goaltender Frederik Andersen might return in December.
Dickinson had reportedly suffered a setback during training camp, keeping him away from participating in any preseason games. The 31-year-old had high expectations heading into the new season. He was one of the Oilers’ notable acquisitions prior to the trade deadline last year, and impressed the team’s brass enough to receive a five-year contract extension in June, which will pay him $4 million a year through the 2029-30 campaign.
Savoie and Andersen both weren’t with the team ahead of training camp, as both were coming back from their own injuries that they encountered during the summer. Andersen, who signed a one-year, $2.8 million contract, was projected to be the 1A netminder ahead of Tristan Jarry. Andersen reunites with this former theleafsnation.com head coach just months after winning a Stanley Cup with the Carolina Hurricanes. He went 13-2 in the postseason before suffering an injury that led to Brandon Bussi taking over for the remainder of the playoffs.
Savoie played his first full NHL season in 2025-26, scoring 18 goals and 37 points in 82 games. He posted an assist in Edmonton’s first-round series, which saw the team shockingly get eliminated by the Anaheim Ducks.
The Oilers begin the 2026-27 campaign on Tuesday night against the Vancouver Canucks.
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Speaking to reporters after morning skate on Tuesday, head coach Mike Babcock said a few players are expected to be out long-term.
On top of forward Ryan Nugent-Hopkins missing the first game due to a lower-body injury, Babcock believes that he’ll be out for around two weeks. Defenseman Jason Dickinson, who was already projected to miss the start of the 2026-27 campaign, “hasn’t been able to push it yet,” according to Babcock. For forward Matthew Savoie, Babcock states that he’s more than seven weeks out from returning, while goaltender Frederik Andersen might return in December.
Dickinson had reportedly suffered a setback during training camp, keeping him away from participating in any preseason games. The 31-year-old had high expectations heading into the new season. He was one of the Oilers’ notable acquisitions prior to the trade deadline last year, and impressed the team’s brass enough to receive a five-year contract extension in June, which will pay him $4 million a year through the 2029-30 campaign.
Savoie and Andersen both weren’t with the team ahead of training camp, as both were coming back from their own injuries that they encountered during the summer. Andersen, who signed a one-year, $2.8 million contract, was projected to be the 1A netminder ahead of Tristan Jarry. Andersen reunites with this former theleafsnation.com head coach just months after winning a Stanley Cup with the Carolina Hurricanes. He went 13-2 in the postseason before suffering an injury that led to Brandon Bussi taking over for the remainder of the playoffs.
Savoie played his first full NHL season in 2025-26, scoring 18 goals and 37 points in 82 games. He posted an assist in Edmonton’s first-round series, which saw the team shockingly get eliminated by the Anaheim Ducks.
The Oilers begin the 2026-27 campaign on Tuesday night against the Vancouver Canucks.
Continue reading...