Bill Guerin announced Saturday that Jonas Brodin is expected to miss the start of the 2025-26 season after undergoing successful upper-body surgery. The 31-year-old defender missed 32 games in 2024-25 due to injury but still managed to put up an impressive four goals, 20 points, and +10 plus/minus in his 50 games played. His return date remains up in the air until we get closer to the 2025-26 regular season.
After missing the second half of the 2024-25 season due to a knee injury, Justin Kirkland has earned himself a one-year, $900,000 contract extension to remain in Calgary. The 28-year-old forward picked up his first career point in 2024-25 with the Flames and finished the campaign early with two goals, eight points and a +6 plus/minus in 21 games played. He is expected to take a bottom-six role in 2025-26.
Pickard was excellent in relief of Stuart Skinner in Game 4, entering the contest in the second period with a 3-0 deficit, saving 22 of 23 shots (.957 SV%) in an eventual 5-4 overtime victory over the Florida Panthers, evening the series at 2-2. Game 5 on Saturday will be Pickard's first start since the second round against the Vegas Golden Knights. The 33-year-old netminder has a 2.69 GAA and .896 SV% in nine appearances this postseason (7-0).
Sturm played in his first game in 19 days when he rejoined Florida's lineup for their Game 4 victory, but is expected to be the odd man out for Game 5 in Carolina as AJ Greer returns from an undisclosed injury. Sturm has only appeared in eight total playoff games this year and has yet to pick up a point while only having three SOG.
Pickard has not played since Game 3 of Edmonton's round-two series against the Vegas Golden Knights, but will return as the backup netminder on Tuesday for Game 4. Stuart Skinner has been great since replacing Pickard in net, going 4-1 with a 1.64 GAA, .936 SV% and three shutouts, so it would likely take an injury for Pickard to get the crease back.
Oilers' head coach Kris Knoblauch said that there's a "good possibility" that Pickard suits up as Stuart Skinner's backup in Game 4. Skinner has been great since replacing Pickard in net, going 4-2 with a 1.64 GAA, .936 SV% and three shutouts, so it would likely take an injury for Pickard to get the crease back.
Sturm has not played since Game 2 vs. the Maple Leafs, but he will replace A.J. Greer (day-to-day) in the lineup for Game 4 vs. Carolina. Sturm has just one assist in 22 combined regular season and playoff games since joining the Panthers.
Pickard is undefeated in the playoffs through 7 games played but has not played since Game 3 vs. Vegas due to an undisclosed injury. The 33-year-old netminder has been ruled out for the opening games of Edmonton's upcoming Western Conference Final but is hopeful to return in the middle of the series.
Yurov is Minnesota's 2022 1st round pick (24th overall) and has signed a three-year, entry-level contract on Friday. The 21-year-old Russian forward spent 2024-25 with Metallurg Magnitogorsk (KHL) and had 13 goals and 25 points in 46 games played.
Pickard was forced to miss Edmonton's Game 3 loss due to an undisclosed injury and will remain out for Game 4 as the Oilers host the Golden Knights on Monday. Stuart Skinner will handle the starter duties in his absence. Prior to his injury, the 33-year-old Pickard was a perfect 6-0-0, with a 2.84 and .888 SV%.
Pickard is 6-0 in the 2024-25 playoffs, but he will not play in Game 3 on Saturday. He is sidelined day-to-day with an undisclosed injury. The 33-year-old Pickard was shaken up late in the third period of Edmonton's Game 2 victory after Tomas Hertl of the Vegas Golden Knights awkwardly collided with him. It's unclear if that sequence is the culprit for Pickard's injury or if it's unrelated.
Pickard will bring his five-game winning streak to Vegas as he takes the crease for a sixth straight start on Thursday for Game 2 of the Stanley Cup Playoffs. The 33-year-old veteran netminder reached career highs in wins (22) during the regular season and has given Edmonton new life in the playoffs with his 5-0-0 record, 2.76 GAA and .891 SV%. He will head to Vegas on Thursday to take on the Golden Knights, who have been averaging 3.3 goals per game throughout seven games in the playoffs.
Pickard allowed four goals on 27 shots in the Oilers' Game 6 win over the Kings. Pickard provided exactly what the Oilers needed in Round 1, going 4-0 with a. 2.93 GAA and .893 SV% after taking over for Stuart Skinner in Game 2. Pickard hasn't been spectacular this season but he's done just enough to win 70 percent of the games he's started. In his only start vs. Vegas this season, Pickard stopped 20 of 22 shots in a 3-2 win in early-April.
Gustavsson exited Game 5 in the 2nd intermission on Tuesday, with Minnesota trailing Vegas 2-1 due to an illness. Minnesota lost the contest 3-2 in overtime, falling behind 3-2 in the series. The 26-year-old Gustavsson has seemingly recovered from his ailment and will be between the pipes for a must-win Game 6. He has a 2.63 GAA and .919 SV% through five appearances this postseason. Minnesota enters Game 6 as +143 home underdogs against the Vegas Golden Knights.
After losing their first two games with Stuart Skinner tending the twine, the Oilers switched to Pickard in Game 3 and have gone 3-0 since, taking a 3-2 series lead. The 33-year-old Pickard was solid on Tuesday in Game 5, saving 21 of 22 shots (.955 SV%) in a 3-1 victory. He has a 2.62 GAA and .904 SV% through four appearances this postseason. The Oilers can advance to the second round with a win and enter Game 6 as -169 home favorites against the Kings.
Gustavsson exited Game 5 in the 2nd intermission on Tuesday, with Minnesota trailing Vegas 2-1 due to an illness. Minnesota lost the contest 3-2 in overtime, falling behind 3-2 in the series. The 26-year-old Gustavsson has seemingly recovered from his ailment and will likely be between the pipes for a must-win Game 6. He has a 2.63 GAA and .919 SV% through five appearances this postseason. Minnesota enters Game 6 as +143 home underdogs against the Vegas Golden Knights.
Gustavsson exited Game 5 on Tuesday in the second intermission due to an illness with his team trailing 2-1. Marc-Andre Fleury entered the contest in relief and helped his team get to overtime before ultimately losing 3-2 to the Vegas Golden Knights. Minnesota returns to action for Game 6 on Thursday.
