The Oilers Twitter account announced today:

#Oilers GM Steve Tambellini announces forward Chris VandeVelde has been assigned to the AHL's #OKCBarons

— Edmonton Oilers (@EdmontonOilers) February 10, 2013

Vande Velde's assignment means that Eric Belanger is back in the lineup after coming off of the Injured Reserve list. The Oilers have just one healthy player in the press box in Darcy Hordichuk as Mark Fistric is still nursing a back injury and Theo Peckham is on a rehabilitation assignment in Oklahoma City.

Belanger will most likely draw into the lineup between Teemu Hartikainen and Magnus Paajarvi on the 4th line and handle the first pairing duties on the penalty kill and possibly key defensive zone faceoffs.

Belanger on wearing extra protection on his foot:

"I don't know (if I'll wear something on my skate) because every time you criss-cross and get deep in your turn, it catches. I did fall a couple of times, so it's going to be tough to put something there.