Oilers 'expecting' Henrique to return to playoff action vs. Stars

Expect to see a veteran presence return to the Edmonton Oilers' lineup soon.

Although he couldn't confirm a return date, head coach kris Knoblauch said on Wednesday he expects forward Adam Henrique, who sat out six of the Oilers' seven games against the Vancouver Canucks in Round 2 of the NHL playoffs, will see action early in their next series against the Dallas Stars.

"We're expecting him early in the series, whether that's Game 1, 2 or 3," Knoblauch said of Henrique's availability for the Oilers' Western Conference Final, which starts Thursday in Dallas (6:30 p.m. MT).

"We will definitely be seeing him at some point."

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Henrique, who's scored a goal and an assist in six playoff games this spring and saw playing time on the first line with Connor McDavid and Zach Hyman, practised with the team on Wednesday at Rogers Place alongside Leon Draisaitl and Dylan Holloway while usual second-liner Evander Kane sat out for maintenance.

Henrique said "it's been painful to watch" while sitting out due to injury.

"I don't do well just sitting there watching, so I'm kind of pacing around and doing things while keeping an eye on everything, but it's not a great feeling," said Henrique, who was hurt in the final game of the first round against the Los Angeles Kings and returned for Game 2 against Vancouver before sitting out the rest of the Canucks series.

"When you're playing, you're in the game, you're in the moment, and you have control. When you don't have that control, it's hard to take."