Oilers To Debut New-Look Draisaitl Line Against Canucks

Finn Marceau

Sep 30, 2024, 21:00

Finn Marceau

Sep 30, 2024, 21:00

Jeff Skinner and Viktor Arvidsson will suit up for their first game next to Leon Draisaitl tonight.

Sergei Belski-Imagn Images - Oilers To Debut New-Look Draisaitl Line Against Canucks

After another round of roster cuts, the Oilers' big guns are drawing back into the lineup.

Both Connor McDavid and Leon Draisaitl will take the ice tonight against the Vancouver Canucks for the team's final home game of the pre-season. This will be our first chance to see Draisaitl next to his new linemates Jeff Skinner and Viktor Arvidsson.

This will be the second game of the pre-season for all three second-liners, who will also likely play the final two games on the road later this week.

Vasily Podkolzin and Corey Perry get a big promotion tonight, as the usual fourth-line wingers will get the chance to flank Connor McDavid. This is another top-six audition for Podkolzin, who had some chances next to Draisaitl earlier in training camp.

On defence, the Oilers will be without their top three defencemen, as Mattias Ekholm and Evan Bouchard get the night off and Darnell Nurse continues to work his way back from injury.

In their place, we'll get another look at bottom pair candidates Josh Brown, Travis Dermott, and Troy Stecher as they fight for a spot next to Brett Kulak. Dermott and Stecher have been playing as a pair for most of the pre-season. We'll also get another look at Nurse's prospective partner Ty Emberson. Ideally, Nurse is back and ready for the Oilers' two-game road trip later this week so the second pair can finally get some minutes together.

We'll also have to wait a few more days for more clarity on the battle for the fourth-line centre/thirteenth forward spot, as Derek Ryan and Noah Philp both get the night off.

In net will be some combination of Stuart Skinner and Olivier Rodrigue, as Calvin Pickard is sidelined after his injury on Saturday and Collin Delia is out of the lineup.

Tonight's game gets underway at 7:00 MT at Rogers Place, live on Sportsnet.

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