Stecher, Skinner to enter lineup for Oilers for Game 4 of Cup Final

Stecher does not have a point in six games for Edmonton in the postseason. He had seven points (three goals, four assists) in 66 games during the regular season.

The 31-year-old was inserted into the lineup for Games 4 and 5 of the second round against the Vegas Golden Knights and played the first four games of the Western Conference Final against the Dallas Stars.

Stecher was replaced in Game 5 against Dallas by Mattias Ekholm, who returned from an undisclosed injury after missing the first 15 games of the playoffs. Edmonton eliminated Dallas in five games to set up the Final rematch against Florida.

“Troy’s a competitor,” Oilers coach Kris Knoblauch said. “He’s little, he’s undersized (5-foot-10, 184-pounds) and he’s probably been told many times he’s not going to make it to the NHL, and if he does make it, he’s not going to make an impact, and he’s got the feistiness and that determination to be able stick around and have a pretty good NHL career.”

Stecher is in his ninth NHL season. He was acquired by Edmonton in a trade with the Arizona Coyotes on March 7, 2024, but did not play in the playoffs last season because of an ankle injury, which required surgery.

Stecher does have physicality in his game, which Knoblauch hopes is effective against the Panthers and their aggressive forecheck.

“I think I play a simple and steady game, I don’t do anything great, I don’t make a lot of mistakes, and I feel like they know what to expect out of me every night,” Stecher said. “More than anything, I’ve just embraced my role as an individual player trying to add to this team.

“Do I want to play every night? Of course, but it’s not my decision. You’ve got to be the best teammate you can be and that’s coming to the rink and working as hard as you can and being prepared for when your number does get called. I think the coaches understand that I work hard and that I’ll be ready.”

Stecher will play on a pair with Darnell Nurse, whom he was paired with against the Stars.

“He’s a smart player, he’s a competitor,” Knoblauch said of Stecher. “He and Darnell have played really well this season, whether it’s been regular season or playoffs. I can’t really put my finger on why, but the tandem with those two have been really good. Hopefully tonight, we get another really good performance from those two, because we’re going to need it.”