On Monday, the Edmonton Oilers called up defenceman Cam Dineen from their American Hockey League affiliate, the Bakersfield Condors, on an emergency basis.

The move comes after defenders Brett Kulak and Mattias Ekholm were noticeably absent from practice. According to head coach Kris Knoblauch, Kulak is under the weather, while Ekholm was given the day off. We most likely won’t know about their statuses until after morning skate on Tuesday.

If Dineen were to sneak into the lineup when the Oilers host the Anaheim Ducks, it would be the first time since the 2021-22 season that he will appear in an NHL game. The 26-year-old played 34 games for the Arizona Coyotes that year, the only bit of experience in the NHL in his eight-year professional career.

Dineen notched seven assists that year, last seeing action on April 29, 2022.

If Kulak isn’t able to go, Dineen would most likely hop on the third pair alongside Ty Emberson.

The Toms River, New Jersey native spent five seasons in the Coyotes system, the team that took him in the third round, 68th overall, of the 2016 NHL Draft. Dineen was traded to the Oilers as part of the deal that saw Edmonton acquire Nick Bjugstad in March 2023.

Dineen has been a pretty solid two-way blueliner in the minor-league ranks. In the year that he was traded, he posted a career-high 47 points. He has notched over 20 points in each of the last three seasons.

So far this year, Dineen has posted five goals and 24 assists for 29 points in 45 games, leading all Bakersfield defencemen in scoring. He is currently tied for 15th in blueliner scoring in the AHL.

In 329 games, Dineen has posted 30 goals and 126 assists for 156 points, including five Calder Cup Playoff games.

Before turning pro, Dineen spent three seasons in the Ontario Hockey League playing for both the North Bay Battalion and Sarnia Sting, earning All-Rookie Team honors during the 2015-16 campaign.

The Oilers (35-21-4) are second in the Pacific Division, four points behind the Vegas Golden Knights for first.

Zach Laing is Oilersnation’s associate editor, senior columnist, and The Nation Network’s news director. He also makes up one-half of the DFO DFS Report. He can be followed on Twitter, currently known as X, at @zjlaing, or reached by email at zach.laing@bettercollective.com.