As the Edmonton Oilers prepare for their second round clash with the Vancouver Canucks, anticipation is high. Despite losing all four games in the regular season matchups to their Pacific Division rivals, the team is confident in their ability to put on a better showing now that the stakes have been raised.
It helps that the Oilers roster is arguably the best of the Connor McDavid and Leon Draisaitl era. It's also effectively at its most healthy, at least relatively speaking.
As per Oiler TV reporter and host Tony Brar, Evander Kane and Adam Henrique missed practice for the second consecutive day on Saturday. Kris Knoblauch characterised both absences as maintenance days and claimed they would be ready for game one in Vancouver.
In any event, as confirmed by the team on social media, they have recalled seven players from the Bakersfield Condors. Here is an overview of all seven players:
A career year in Bakersfield
Raphael Lavoie - A breakout season of sorts for Lavoie, as he led the Condors with 28 goals, while similarly setting professional career-highs of 66 games, 22 assists and 50 overall points in Bakersfield. He also made his NHL debut with the Oilers this season, albeit both his playing time and impact were limited.
Adam Erne - Of the seven players recalled, Erne saw the most action with the Oilers this season in playing 24 games. albeit he averaged a call low ice time of 7:49 per contest. He wasn't particularly productive points-wise in either Edmonton or Bakersfield, but he does offer a solid defensive game if called upon.
Lane Pederson - This was a fine year in Bakersfield for Pederson, as he finished second on the Condors with 22 goals and 52 overall points. He didn't play for the Oilers this season, but for what it's worth he does have 71 games of NHL experience in the previous three campaigns.
Part of one of the AHL's best goalie tandems
Olivier Rodrigue - This was Rodrigue's best season yet, as he established himself in Bakersfield as a reliable option between the pipes, leading the team with a career-high 19 wins. He also set personal bests with a 2.73 Goals Against Average and .916 save percentage, resulting in being deservedly rewarded with a one-year contract extension.
Philip Kemp - Kemp made his NHL debut this season, albeit he saw just 2:03 minutes of ice time with the Oilers. He did prove to be a reliable blue-liner in Bakersfield though, as he played 64 games and finished tied-first on the team with a career high +13 rating.
Ben Gleason - The defenceman was his usual reliable self during his first season with the Condors, which included finishing sixth on the team with 32 points and tied-fifth with a +8 rating. He saw limited NHL action back during the 2018-19 season with four games; don't expect him to play again in the big leagues anytime soon.
Cam Dineen - Dineen brings with him the benefit of NHL experience, having played 34 games for the now former Arizona Coyotes during the 2021-22 campaign. This season saw him provide decent offensive support from the blue line, as he produced 25 points during his first year in Bakersfield, good enough for eighth on the team.
The seven players join Sam Gagner, Philip Broberg and Jack Campbell, to give the Oilers an overall strong group of replacements. Of course the hope in Edmonton is that injuries will not become an issue during these playoffs, but at least they are well covered if and when this transpires.