Oilers resting seven top-end players for season finale against Avalanche
The Edmonton Oilers will be severely short-handed in their season finale against the Colorado Avalanche tonight.
With the game having next to no meaning whatsoever for the club, Oilers head coach Kris Knoblauch has decided to scratch his top seven goalscorers to give them some extra rest ahead of the playoffs, which are expected to start on Monday for Edmonton.
This means that the following players will not suit up tonight:
- Connor McDavid
- Leon Draisaitl
- Zach Hyman
- Ryan Nugent-Hopkins
- Evander Kane
- Mattias Ekholm
- Evan Bouchard
Sportsnet’s Jack Michaels was the first to confirm this on social media. ‘
Oilers won’t dress McDavid, Draisaitl, Hyman, RNH, Ekholm, Bouchard, Kane. Top seven scorers out of lineup in Denver.
— Jack Michaels (@EdmontonJack) April 19, 2024
This will drastically alter what the Oilers’ lineup will look like against the Avalanche. While no lines have been revealed, Adam Henrique and Warren Foegele will most likely make up the team’s top line, perhaps with recent AHL call-up Sam Gagner.
The team’s third line of Dylan Holloway-Ryan McLeod-Corey Perry could get bumped up to be the second line as well. From there on out, it’s anybody’s guess. It does appear that Edmonton will be playing with just 11 forwards and six defencemen tonight, which leaves them a player short up front.
Adam Erne, who was called up alongside Gagner yesterday, is also confirmed to be in tonight’s lineup. The lines mentioned could wind up being something completely different.
On the blueline, Darnell Nurse and Cody Ceci return to the lineup after being kept out of last night’s 5-2 loss against the Arizona Coyotes. They will man the Oilers’ top pairing without Ekholm and Bouchard. Philip Broberg and Troy Stecher are also expected to play again tonight.
There has been no confirmation about who will be starting in the Oilers net. Calvin Pickard played last night so logic would dictate that it would be Stuart Skinner’s cage, but the team might want to give their starting goalie a bit more rest.
Gametime is set for 7 pm MT.
Follow Channels and Categories