The Edmonton Oilers will roll seven defensemen against the New Jersey Devils, and it’s not by choice.

With Kasperi Kapanen injured again and Leon Draisaitl tending to a personal family matter in Germany, the Oilers have no cap space to call anyone up from Bakersfield. So instead of a balanced lineup, they’re patching things together with an extra defenseman and hoping it’s enough.

And for Kapanen? The guy just can’t catch a break.

He spent several months recovering from a knee injury, finally got back on the ice, then re-aggravated it on a nothing play during practice. That forced him to miss more time, frustrating both him and the team. Now, just when it seemed like he might finally catch a rhythm, he’s hurt his leg again.

The good news? This one’s different. It’s milder. The recovery will be faster. But still — the guy’s luck has been absolutely brutal.

“He won’t return immediately, but it won’t be long-term like his last injury,” said head coach Kris Knoblauch. “Kapanen will miss some time but not as bad as his two knee issues earlier.”

So it’s not catastrophic. That’s something. But for a player who’s been trying to find his footing with the Oilers all season, this is just another setback in what’s been a frustrating year.

Kapanen came to Edmonton looking to contribute, to carve out a role, to prove he could be a useful piece in the lineup. Instead, he’s spent most of his time rehabbing, practicing cautiously, and watching from the sidelines. In the few games he has played, he’s been trying to shake off rust while also managing the mental side of coming back from injury. And just when it seemed like he was getting there, another injury hits.

It’s hard not to feel for the guy. Sometimes, hockey players just go through stretches where nothing goes right physically. The body doesn’t cooperate. Minor tweaks become major setbacks. Recovery timelines get extended. And before you know it, half the season’s gone, and you’ve barely contributed.

For the Oilers, Kapanen’s latest injury creates an immediate problem. With no cap space to make a call-up from Bakersfield and Draisaitl already unavailable, the forward group is suddenly very thin. The solution? Rolling seven defensemen against New Jersey.

It’s not ideal. Seven-defenseman lineups are typically used when you’re managing injuries or don’t have better options. It shortens the bench for forwards, which means longer shifts for guys like Connor McDavid and Ryan Nugent-Hopkins who’s centring the second line. The coaching staff has to manage ice time carefully to avoid wearing everyone out.

But with Kapanen out, Draisaitl unavailable, and no cap flexibility to bring someone up, this is what the Oilers have to work with. Sometimes the NHL season forces you into awkward roster decisions, and this is one of those times.

The silver lining for Kapanen is that this injury won’t sideline him for months like the previous ones. He’ll miss some games, but he’ll be back relatively soon. Whether his luck changes when he returns is anyone’s guess, but at this point, he’s probably just hoping to string together a few healthy weeks and actually contribute.

For now, though, Kapanen’s season remains frustratingly stop-and-start. The Oilers patch together a lineup with seven defensemen. And everyone waits for the injury luck to finally turn.

Podkolzin – McDavid – Hyman

Frederic – RNH – Roslovic

Mangiapane – Lazar – Janmark

Howard – Savoie

Ekholm – Bouchard

Nurse – Emberson

Walman – Stastney

Regula

Jarry

Ingram

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