Edmonton Oilers activate defenceman Adam Larsson off injured reserve

The Edmonton Oilers have activated defenceman Adam Larsson from injured reserve.

Larsson is expected to play tonight when the Oilers face the San Jose Sharks at Rogers Place.

The defenceman has missed the past eight games with upper-body injury. He last played on Nov. 28 in a 3-2 overtime win against the Arizona Coyotes.

The Oilers posted a 4-4 record with Larsson out of the lineup.

The trade that brought him to Edmonton in June 2016, which sent former No. 1 draft pick Taylor Hall to the New Jersey Devils,has been much-discussed and, in some quarters, much criticized.

Critics accuse general manger Peter Chiarelliof trading away a goal-scoring left winger for a stay-at-home defenceman.

But others credit the trade with solidifying the Oilers defence.

Larsson, the No. 4 pick in the 2011 draft, has played in 25 games with the Oilers this season, and has three goals and one assist.

He has played378 career NHL games and has 16 goals and 76 assists.

On Monday, the Oilersalso assigned forward Anton Slepyshev to the Bakersfield Condors of the American Hockey League.