Oilers activate Curtis Lazar, giving Edmonton a missing depth piece down the stretch

After a long stay on Long Term Injured Reserve, the Edmonton Oilers announced today that forward Curtis Lazar was ready to come back to the lineup.

He was officially activated today before their game against the Anaheim Ducks, and he's in the lineup.

Lazar missed 11 games with an undisclosed injury, but slotted back onto Edmonton's fourth line for today's game at home against the visiting Ducks.

He's played in 38 games so far this year in an Oilers sweater, and has five points (3G, 2A).

Lazar was taken by the Ottawa Senators with the 17th overall pick in the 2013 NHL Entry Draft while playing for the Edmonton Oil Kings of the WHL.

He played the first handful of years of his NHL career with the Senators before being traded in 2017 with Michael Kostka to the Calgary Flames in exchange for Jyrki Jokipakka and a second round pick in the 2017 NHL Entry Draft.

He played another year with the Flames after signing a one year extension, but then departed to sign a one year deal with the Buffalo Sabres in 2019, later earning a two year extension.

Lazar was on the move again in 2021, this time being traded to the Boston Bruins.

Since then, he's played for the Vancouver Canucks and the New Jersey Devils before signing with the Oilers this past summer.

He has 130 points (50G, 30A) in 610 career NHL games.