Game Day Gutcheck and Lines: Sharks Host the Oilers in Offensive Clash

Tonight will undoubtedly be the San Jose Sharks' biggest tests of the season. While the Florida Panthers and Los Angeles Kings were tough opposition, it's hard to compare anything to Connor McDavid and Leon Draisaitl's squad. If the Sharks want to make the playoffs and go on a deep run, they'll likely need to go through Edmonton to do so.

The Oilers had a couple of lineup changes coming into the night, with the recently acquired Filip Hallander and former Sharks defenseman Shakir Mukhamadullin coming into the night. It's the first time that Mukhamadullin is returning to the SAP Center since being traded by the Sharks during the summer. It also marks new Sharks defenseman Darnell Nurse's first game against the team he started his career with. 

On another note, Oilers coach Mike Babcock noted pregame that Jake Walman will not be playing for Edmonton as he's a little banged up at the moment.

The Oilers penalty kill has struggled mightily to start the season, as a result the Sharks are going to need to take advantage of any opportunities that Edmonton gives them on the man advantage. 

Yaroslav Askarov is going to get the start for the Sharks after his most recent outing against the Dallas Stars didn't go to plan. Last season, he went 1-0-1 against the Oilers, allowing eight goals on 56 shots in two games. Tristan Jarry is expected to get the start for Edmonton.

Macklin Celebrini and Kiefer Sherwood are expected to take warmups per Ryan Warsofsky, but they are still game-time decisions for the time being. Adam Gaudette on the other hand has been officially activated off of the injured reserve and is available for selection tonight, if needed.

It'll be a tough test for the Sharks regardless of who they have available to them but having Celebrini, Sherwood, and possibly even Gaudette in the lineup will make a major impact for them in a game that will have very important implications when April comes around.

Projected Sharks Lines (Per Max Miller):

Marchment - Smith - Chernyshov

Stenberg - Wennberg - Gaudette

Graf - Misa - Toffoli

Goodrow - Ostapchuk - Dellandrea

Nurse - Kesselring

Dickinson - Trouba

Orlov - Cagnoni

Askarov

Nedeljkovic

Projected Oilers Lines Per DFO: 

Podkolzin - McDavid - Draisaitl

Hallander - Dickinson - Kapanen

Formenton - Michaels - Joseph

Frederic - Samanski - Howard

Ekholm - Bouchard

Shea - Murphy

Mukhamadullin - Emberson

Jarry

Levi