Oilers latest injury news heading into December
The Oilers are in a strong position health-wise as we turn to December, but here’s the latest news on Zach Hyman, Dylan Holloway and Ryan Fanti.
Injuries were a substantial part of the story for the Oilers ahead of and early in the 2023-24 regular season. Whether it was Mattias Ekholm, Markus Niemeläinen, Connor McDavid or whoever, they all had issues which affected the roster in various ways.
Fortunately for everyone concerned, the team is now in a much stronger position. However, here’s the latest news on what ailments the Oilers are currently dealing with:
Zach Hyman
Admittedly, Zach Hyman’s recent absence was as a result of illness rather than injury. He was a very late scratch for Tuesday’s game versus the Golden Knights, due to a flu bug.
Listed as day-to-day at the time, Hyman is now back with the team. Speaking to the media after practice on Thursday morning about his absence, he said:
“It wasn’t fun. The morning skate I tried to grind it out and then it just got progressively worse. (It was) a 24-hour bug, but it’s good to be back.”
Certainly the Oilers are relieved that Hyman’s absence was indeed only short-term. Coming off a career-year last season, he leads the team with 12 goals, and overall has 22 points in 20 games.
Dylan Holloway
Dylan Holloway has been on long-term injured reserve (LTIR) since Nov. 15. It was as a result of a knee injury he sustained in a game against the Islanders, when he lost his balance and slid hard into the boards.
The earliest Holloway can return from LTIR is on Dec. 10. However, as Jason Gregor of Sports 1440 put it at the time of the injury, he is expected to miss a few months.
In general, the centre hadn’t had the best of seasons prior to his injury, with just one point (a goal) and a -3 plus/minus rating in 14 games. Long-term, he is still projected to become a mainstay of the Oilers’ bottom six.
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Ryan Fanti
In reality, it’s a case of status quo when it comes to Ryan Fanti. At the time of posting he’s still listed as month-to-month with a hip injury, with the next update expected around Dec. 12.
Fanti has been dealing with his hip issue ever since arriving at training camp. It could be some time before he is able to return to action, not that this impacts the organisation at the NHL level.
The timing of the injury however, is terrible for the 24-year-old on an individual level, with him set to become a restricted free agent at the conclusion of the current season. He really needs to get back between the pipes as soon as possible, to prove his worth.
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Overall, the Oilers are in as healthy a position as they have been for some time, which alludes to the overall turnaround in the team’s fortunes of late. While they still have a losing record at 8-12-1, they have won their previous three games and six of their last nine.