Howard Down, and Edmonton's Left Side Gets Thinner

Isaac Howard was hurt early in Saturday's game against the Islanders after a knee-on-knee hit from Emil Heineman, who was ejected for the play. No timeline has been announced, but the nature of the hit means Edmonton will be watching closely.

The timing is rough. Zach Hyman went on injured reserve earlier this week with a stiff neck, an injury that started as a head concern when he left Tuesday's game against Detroit. With Howard now also out of the picture, the left wing depth chart is thin in a way that's hard to paper over. Viljami Marjala and Alex Formenton are the names behind Hyman on that depth chart, and neither has been a consistent offensive presence this season.

The Oilers have been here before this month — Ekholm went down, Devon Levi went down, and the team has been rotating through its depth. Dickinson and Ekholm were expected back around the Flames game, which helps the overall picture, but left wing is its own specific problem. My read is that this is the position worth watching over the next week or two, not because the team can't function, but because there's not much margin left there.