Kane returns as Oilers tweak lineup ahead of game against Jets
Evander Kane is back in the lineup tonight as the Edmonton Oilers prepare to take on the Winnipeg Jets.
Kane was kept out of Sunday night’s game against the Ottawa Senators in what Oilers head coach Kris Knoblauch described as a “maintenance day” for the veteran forward. This sparked a lot of conversation among fans about the injury status of Kane or if this might have been a healthy scratch related to poor performance.
Nonetheless, the 32-year-old will re-join the Oilers on the ice once again against his former team, skating on the team’s third line with Ryan McLeod and Corey Perry.
That wasn’t the only change the lineup will see tonight as Knoblauch has decided to make a few more interesting decisions throughout. Sportsnet’s Jack Michaels had the line rushes from this morning.
Tonight in WPG:
RNH-McDavid-Hyman
Henrique-Draisaitl-Foegele
Kane-McLeod-Perry
Janmark-Ryan-BrownEkholm-Bouchard
Nurse-Ceci
Kulak-DesharnaisSkinner@Sportsnet at 6pm MT. pic.twitter.com/1t6cvSpeLO
— Jack Michaels (@EdmontonJack) March 26, 2024
Sam Carrick, who has already gotten into two fights with the Oilers since being acquired, has drawn the short stick and will come out of the lineup tonight. Derek Ryan will instead stay in the lineup as he centres the fourth line alongside Mattias Janmark and Connor Brown.
The top six remains the same as Sunday with Adam Henrique on the second line with Leon Draisaitl and Warren Foegele, while Connor McDavid mans the top line with Ryan Nugent-Hopkins and 50-goal man Zach Hyman.
On the blueline, Knoblauch has opted to revert back to his previous D pairings from earlier in the season. Darnell Nurse and Cody Ceci are reunited on the Oilers’ second pair while Vincent Desharnais drops back down to the third pair with Brett Kulak.
Mattias Ekholm and Evan Bouchard, who have not been kept apart very long this season, remain together on the Oilers’ top pair.
Stuart Skinner will be tasked with helping the Oilers break their two-game losing skid between the pipes tonight. The 25-year-old goaltender has a solid 3-0-1 career record against the Jets.
Game time is set for 6 pm on Sportsnet West.
Follow Channels and Categories