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Edmonton Oilers make major line changes and Evander Kane will play in Game 2

Preston Hodgkinson
Preston Hodgkinson
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Apr 23 2025, 6:32 pm
Edmonton Oilers make major line changes and Evander Kane will play in Game 2
Jasen Vinlove/Imagn Images

The Edmonton Oilers are looking to tie up their series with the LA Kings, and they are getting a key player back in the lineup to help do so.

After missing the entirety of the 2024-25 NHL regular season and the opening game of the playoffs, Evander Kane is set to draw back into the lineup for Game 2 on Wednesday night.

The power forward was skating on the team’s second line at morning skate with Ryan Nugent-Hopkins and Zach Hyman. This will be Kane’s first NHL game since playing in Game 2 of the Stanley Cup Final last season.

Ahead of Game 2, 880 CHED’s Bob Stauffer reported on line rushes, which featured Kane and several other major changes.

It appears Jeff Skinner will be the odd-man out with Kane getting back into the lineup. Skinner played his first-ever playoff game on Monday night, but didn’t make a strong enough case to stay in the lineup.

He will join Max Jones, Derek Ryan, and Kasperi Kapanen as likely scratches.

Outside of Kane’s return, the biggest change to the forward group sees head coach Kris Knoblauch reunite Connor McDavid and Leon Draisaitl on the top line, with Corey Perry joining them on the right wing. All three of those players played a critical role in Edmonton’s chaotic third-period comeback in Game 1.

Nugent-Hopkins will take over Draisaitl’s spot as the second-line centre. On the third line, Trent Frederic will line up beside Adam Henrique and Connor Brown. That trio has not played together all season, so it will be interesting to see if they can provide some depth scoring.

Vasily Podkolzin and Viktor Arvidsson have been demoted from the second line to the fourth line with Mattias Janmark.

On the backend, it appears that Josh Brown will draw out of the lineup in favour of John Klingberg. The Swedish defenceman skated next to Jake Walman in what has the potential to be a fairly offensive second pair.

Stuart Skinner was in the starter’s net, indicating that he will get a chance for redemption after a lacklustre Game 1 performance.

Game 2 in L.A. will get underway at 8 p.m. MDT.

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