BLOG: Koekkoek renewing comradeship with Oilers teammates

EDMONTON, AB - Despite his season being complicated by injury, defenceman Slater Koekkoek returned in time to share his Oilers teammates' sour sentiments on the way the campaign concluded.
"After the season, there was a little bit of a sour taste in everybody's mouth," said Koekkoek, alluding to a Round 1 sweep for Edmonton at the hands of the Winnipeg Jets.
It was, however, just relieving for him to feel the emotion of the game again. Koekkoek is equipped with a clean bill of health and a new two-year contract ahead of Training Camp and the '21-22 NHL season after a collarbone injury sustained in February kept him out of the lineup until the last game of the regular-season schedule.
"It was a tough season," he added. "Nobody likes to get injured, but it's part of the game. I thought it was definitely a trying year."
The 27-year-old played his way into a consistent third-pairing role on the Oilers blueline and the good books of Head Coach Dave Tippett in the opening 17 games of last season, recording a goal and earning the coach's trust on the penalty kill before landing awkwardly and suffering a broken collarbone from a high hit delivered by then Flames forward Sam Bennett 14 seconds into the Battle of Alberta.
Though the collarbone wasn't fully healed, as Koekkoek
revealed Thursday in an interview with Inside Sports with Reid Wilkins on 630CHED
, the Winchester, ON product would then go on to dress in all four contests with Winnipeg and contribute an assist three months later.
"I'm happy to get the deal done for two more seasons," Koekkoek said. "Since my [Entry-Level Contract], it's my first multi-year deal, so that feels great. I leaned on my family and loved ones for support throughout the season, and I'll be looking forward to getting back on the ice and starting up Training Camp."