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Oilers expected to have Black Aces join team in Anaheim ahead of Game 6
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Photo credit: Flickr/Bakersfield Condors
Michael Menzies
Apr 29, 2026, 15:00 EDTUpdated: Apr 29, 2026, 15:06 EDT
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The Edmonton Oilers will be getting some reinforcements for morning skates and practices. 
Before the team jetted off to California ahead of Thursday night’s elimination Game 6 against the Anaheim Ducks, head coach Kris Knoblauch said some Bakersfield Condors would be meeting them upon arrival. 
The Condors were eliminated from the Calder Cup playoffs on Sunday after a first-round loss to the Coachella Valley Firebirds that went to a third-game decider. 
“They’ll be meeting us in Anaheim,” Knoblauch said. “I know Stan [Bowman] and I were talking about it. I think we’ll have four or five forwards, and three or four defencemen.” 
Although Knoblauch didn’t list the specific players, one would anticipate that Isaac Howard, Quinn Hutson, Roby Järventie, and Alec Regula would be amongst the returning group. Each played between three and 29 games with the Oilers this season.
These playoffs have challenged the Oilers’ centre depth. Adam Henrique went down in Game 1, Jason Dickinson missed two games, and even Connor McDavid was listed as a game-time decision before Game 5. There’s been no timeline for Henrique’s return. 
There are currently 13 forwards in rotation, with Trent Frederic the healthy scratch up front in Game 5, as Knoblauch wanted Colton Dach to play after missing Game 4 due to illness.
Curtis Lazar’s ability to play centre and take faceoffs, particularly on the penalty kill, gave him an edge to remain in the lineup over Frederic, said Knoblauch.
“With Dach coming back, we feel that he’s been playing really well with his speed, his physicality. Also, the importance of Lazar,” he said. “We talked about those faceoffs on the penalty kill. Lazar was part of that last night…Obviously, we didn’t take many penalties last night…but we felt that it was important for him to play.”
Spencer Stastney remains the team’s seventh defenceman, a failsafe at the moment. Stastney has not played since March 19 against the Florida Panthers, but did suit up 36 times in Oilers’ silks.

Condors season called

The Condors finished fifth in the 10-team Pacific Division during the regular season with a record of 37-23-11-1. That set up a first-round matchup against Coachella Valley.
Bakersfield won Game 1 convincingly, 6-1, but that momentum did not last. The Condors lost Game 2 by a 5-4 score. In the winner-take-all Game 3, the Firebirds seized control in the second period en route to a 6-2 victory. 
These black aces will at least give Knoblauch some options, if required. 
“A couple of nights, we were not positive we were going to have a full lineup if everyone who was questionable didn’t play. But no, everything was fine. We always had extras,” he said. “Now we’ve got some guys coming and joining us, so that won’t be an issue.” 
Michael Menzies is an Oilersnation columnist and co-host of PreGaming and Oilersnation After Dark. He’s also been the play-by-play voice of the Bonnyville Pontiacs in the AJHL since 2019. With seven years of news experience as the Editor-at-Large of Lakeland Connect in Bonnyville, Menzies collects vinyl, books, and stomach issues. Follow him on X at Menzies_4.

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