More Troubling Signs Emerge for Oilers Top Defenseman Mattias Ekholm's Playoff Status

Earlier this week the Edmonton Oilers got terrible news as Mattias Ekholm suffered what appears to be a serious injury.

After being ruled out indefinitely and in need of further testing insider Ryan Rishaug indicated that the injury to Ekholm seemed to be serious but more information was needed to confirm.

Now this afternoon a report has revealed that Ekholm will be seeking a second opinion on his options when it comes to the recovery and treatment of his injury.

During his latest press conference Edmonton Oilers head coach Kris Knoblauch was asked for an update on Ekholm's status.

According to Knoblauch, Ekholm will be seeking a second opinion and his return is not expected in the near future.

While this does not confirm the worst case scenario for Ekholm it likely means the initial diagnosis is severe enough that he could be out for a long time.

It remains to be seen what the final diagnosis and timeline is for Ekholm but if he misses an extended period for the Oilers in the Stanley Cup Playoffs it could be a huge detriment to the team's chances of making a deep run.

Luckily the Oilers should have both Connor McDavid and Leon Draisaitl back as the playoffs begin giving them a much higher chance of success against the Los Angeles Kings.

As the Edmonton Oilers and trusted sources provide updates on Ekholm's status for the Stanley Cup Playoffs and beyond we will pass along the latest news.