The Edmonton Oilers are heading into training camp without four key names, and it's a mix of procedures and offseason injuries behind it.
Mattias Janmark, Matthew Savoie, Alec Regula and Frederik Andersen are not expected to participate next month, the team announced Tuesday.
Janmark and Regula are recovering from procedures. Savoie and Andersen are rehabbing injuries suffered during the offseason, according to the announcement.
It's a rough headline for a group Mike Babcock is set to inherit as his first training camp behind the Oilers' bench.
Savoie posted 37 points in 82 games this past season, along with five power play goals and five game-winning goals. Losing him early stings for a young forward trying to carve out a bigger role.
Regula appeared in 29 games on the blue line, finishing with three points and a minus-16 rating over that stretch.
"NEWS: #Oilers announce Mattias Janmark, Matt Savoie, Alec Regula, and Frederik Andersen are not expected to participate in training camp next month.
Janmark and Regula are recovering from procedures; Savoie and Andersen are rehabilitating injuries suffered during the off-season"
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Andersen's absence is the one that carries the most weight. He posted a .910 save percentage with three shutouts in 16 games this past season, numbers that matter for a crease battle already crowded with Tristan Jarry.
Janmark, meanwhile, put up eight points in 43 games, a depth role that still matters in a lineup chasing secondary scoring.
None of these four are expected back for camp, which means Babcock starts his tenure evaluating a roster that's missing real pieces from day one.
Edmonton finished last season 41-30-11, good for 93 points and a plus-13 goal differential. Every man in the lineup matters when a team is trying to close that gap to the top of the conference.
Camp battles for bottom-six roles and crease depth just got thinner before a single practice happens. That's not ideal timing for a new coach trying to set a tone.
Stan Bowman and his staff will need internal options to step up in the meantime. Whether any of that depth is ready for real minutes is the question camp will actually answer.
Injuries like these rarely stay simple. How long each absence actually lasts is the part nobody's confirmed yet.
Should the Oilers make a trade to add depth before the season starts?
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