Is Adam Henrique playing tonight against Canucks? Kris Knoblauch delivers injury update on Oilers center

In a crucial update ahead of tonight's matchup against the Vancouver Canucks, Edmonton Oilers coach Kris Knoblauch has confirmed that Adam Henrique will be sidelined for Game 1 due to a lower-body injury. The Oilers' struggle to sustain their momentum from the opening round is certainly compounded by the absence of the center.

"Oilers coach Kris Knoblauch says Adam Henrique out for Game 1, but they are hopeful he can play Friday. Connor Brown draws in," Elliotte Friedman shared on X.

The Oilers express optimism that Henrique could return for Game 2 on Friday as his injury status remains day-to-day. The seasoned forward, who played a pivotal role in Edmonton's first-round victory over the Los Angeles Kings, contributed one goal and one assist across five games.

With Henrique sidelined, the Oilers will turn to forward Connor Brown to fill the void in the lineup for Game 1. Brown, an experienced player, brings considerable experience despite not having played in a playoff game since 2019 with the Toronto Maple Leafs. During the regular season, the 30-year-old contributed four goals and eight assists in 71 games.

With Connor Brown joining the lineup, the Oilers aim to sustain their momentum and secure a positive result in Game 1 as they push to advance further in the playoffs.

Mattias Janmark was initially considered a choice to fill in for Adam Henrique

The Edmonton Oilers were facing a challenge with Adam Henrique's suspected lower-body injury, leaving a gap at first-line left wing. Coach Kris Knoblauch knew that there was no clear replacement for Henrique, leading to a "by committee" approach to fill the void in Game 1 against the Vancouver Canucks.

Knoblauch was considering Mattias Janmark as a potential candidate for the top-line role. Although Janmark was not the obvious choice, given his defensive-oriented style and modest offensive stats, Knoblauch had faith based on his ability to support players like Connor McDavid and Zach Hyman.

"The winger’s job is to get the puck in a skilled centreman’s hands,” the coach said. “That’s very crucial. Janny’s good at that. That’s one part of it." (Via The Athletic)

“The other part of it is, he is good defensively. He’ll be playing a lot of minutes against Vancouver’s top-skilled offensive players," Knoblauch added.

Janmark's journey from a depth forward to a key penalty-killer and defensive specialist with the Oilers shows that he is adaptable and could've contributed. However, right now it's more about winning the game, and the coach is not taking any chances.

Connor Brown is set to make his playoff debut in Henrique's place.