Oilers defenceman Troy Stecher set to undergo ankle surgery: report

The Edmonton Oilers’ depth on the back end appears to be taking a hit, according to a recently dropped report.

Sports 1440’s Jason Gregor posted on X this morning saying that defenceman Troy Stecher, who hasn’t been skating with the team as of late, will be undergoing ankle surgery in the near future.

Troy Stetcher will be having ankle surgery soon. For those asking why he hasn’t been skating. #Oilers

— Jason Gregor (@JasonGregor) May 28, 2024

Stecher was the final acquisition made by general manager Ken Holland ahead of the trade deadline, as he sent a 2027 fourth-round pick to the Arizona Coyotes in exchange for the 30-year-old, while also picking up a seventh-round selection in 2027.

Stecher wasn’t able to get in much playing time after joining the Oilers, suiting up for just seven regular season games, during which time he logged two assists while averaging 16 minutes in ice time.

The Oilers had yet to use Stecher in the playoffs, instead opting to go with Evan Bouchard, Mattias Ekholm, Cody Ceci, Darnell Nurse, Brett Kulak, and Vincent Desharnais. Had an injury occurred to any of those six, however, Stecher and Philip Broberg were viewed as the top candidates to step in.

It’s unclear when this injury occurred, given that Stecher last suited up in a 5-1 loss versus the Colorado Avalanche in the Oilers’ final game of the regular season.

Though it didn’t appear that the Oilers had any plan of going to Stecher, having him as a backup option was big, as Nurse and Ceci have both struggled immensely throughout the entire postseason. Should Knoblauch look to make a change on the back end moving forward, it would now undoubtedly be Broberg who steps in.

Following last night’s 5-3 loss to the Dallas Stars, the Oilers now trail the Western Conference Final 2-1. Game 4 is set to get underway at Rogers Place tomorrow, with puck drop set for 6:30 pm MT.

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