Report: The Oilers may have lost a key player for the season.

Before the 2014-2015 season began, there was a sort of cautious optimism surrounding the Oilers. One of the reasons for this positive outlook was the supposed improvement of the Oilers blueline. Acquisitions like Nikita Nikitin were supposed to bolster the back end and make this team significantly better than in years past. Unfortunately, mid way through the season the Oilers are limping their way to the finish line once again, and they aren't getting any favours from the hockey gods. Nikitin will apparently miss a significant amount of time due to a shoulder injury, and now it appears he may be lost for the season. The Edmonton Journal has called Nikitin's availability into question for the rest of the season. The team has not offered a timetable for his return, if he does. It seems unlikely, since we are at the end of January and the outlook is this bleak. What a shame.