The 39-year-old has been limited to six starts this season and is 2-2-1 with a 3.76 goals-against average and .898 save percentage. He sustained a lower-body injury at the Anaheim Ducks on Oct. 19 and missed 26 games through Dec. 18.
He then sustained a thumb injury Dec. 31 at the New Jersey Devils, aggravated it Jan. 5 at the Toronto Maple Leafs and missed seven more games from Jan. 15 to 31.
"It's better, that's for sure," Smith said Monday. "It's been a work in progress, dealing with an injury that's never happened (to me) before, so there's always challenges along the way. But (I'm) ready to go and excited to be back with the group."
The Oilers (23-16-3) struggled for a large portion of Smith's absence, including a 2-11-2 stretch from Dec. 2 to Jan. 20. They are 5-0-1 in their past six games but are fifth in the eight-team Pacific Division, eight points behind the first-place Golden Knights with four games in hand. Edmonton trails the Calgary Flames by three points for the second wild card into the Stanley Cup Playoffs from the Western Conference.
Oilers goalie Mikko Koskinen did not practice Monday and was placed in NHL COVID-19 protocol. Koskinen is 16-8-2 with a 3.15 GAA and .900 save percentage in 26 games (25 starts) this season. Stuart Skinner is expected to be recalled from Bakersfield of the American Hockey League.
Smith said it was a helpless feeling while injured, but he's excited to be back on the ice.
"It's been difficult for sure, I'm not going to lie," Smith said. "Just with the scheduling and the time off and then being hurt and being away from the team, it's obviously a frustrating part of being an athlete. No one ever wants to be on the sidelines, especially when you come back and you play a couple of games and you're back on the shelf again.
"It's just something that's obviously been at times difficult to deal with, but in the same sense, I was able to spend quality time with my family and I think my wife is ready see me come back too. I'm excited and she's excited and hopefully the rest of the team's excited also."
