Edmonton Oilers playing down a man due to injuries, salary-cap space

Injuries and salary-cap constraints will force the Edmonton Oilers to play with 11 forwards and six defencemen Saturday against the visiting Nashville Predators.

Forward Connor Brown suffered a non-contact injury to his lower body in the second period of Tuesday’s 4-3 home loss to the Dallas Stars, sidelining him alongside centre Mattias Janmark.

That left the Oilers, who had been icing an 11-forward, seven-defencemen formation, scrambling to call up Raphael Lavoie on Friday, while sending defenceman Philip Broberg down to the Bakersfield Condors of the American Hockey League.

“Janmark’s been out the last couple games, and certainly losing Brown last night, going down to 10 forwards, you want to make sure you’re in the position to be able to at least dress 11 forwards,” said Oilers head coach Jay Woodcroft. “That’s a big factor in putting Philip down to Bakersfield, is that it allows us to call somebody up.

“And for Philip, it also represents a good opportunity to play some big minutes, get his game and get some confidence going again.”

Broberg had zero points in eight games with the Oilers, earning a minus-1 rating in that span.

“For me, when it comes to Philip’s game I see someone who can play with a little bit more assertiveness, be a little bit more authoritative in battles. Somebody who can snap pucks, use his legs to escape trouble.

“I think he’s done that in spurts this year, but not long enough to warrant taking somebody’s ice time away from them. When you’re competing to take someone’s job in the National Hockey League, you have to show, day in and day out.”