Oilers' Smith (thumb) expected out at least one week

Edmonton Oilers goaltender Mike Smith will not play Saturday against the Ottawa Senators and is expected to miss a week or two with a tendon tear in his thumb.

Coach Tippett notes that after an MRI on his thumb yesterday, Mike Smith has a partial tear in a tendon & will need one to two weeks to recover.

— Edmonton Oilers (@EdmontonOilers) January 13, 2022

Mikko Koskinen was the lone goaltender at the start of Oilers practice Thursday. He is likely to start Saturday against the Sens, Edmonton's only game in the next week until Thursday's matchup with the Florida Panthers. 

The Oilers say they are planning for goaltender Stuart Skinner to join the team from the AHL as soon as possible pending COVID-19 testing that will allow him to cross the border. 

Tipp adds that the plan is to recall Stuart Skinner from the @Condors as soon as possible pending some COVID testing results that will allow him to cross the border. https://t.co/SxvMAu8v9L

— Edmonton Oilers (@EdmontonOilers) January 13, 2022

The Bakersfield Condors had Friday's game against the Stockton Heat postponed because of COVID issues. 

Smith was last in action on Jan. 5 as the Oilers fell to the Toronto Maple Leafs. He stopped 29 of 32 shots in a 4-2 loss.

The 39-year-old has a goals-against average of 3.76 and a save percentage of .898 in six games for Edmonton this season.