Injury Update on Hyman: Oilers Also Without Arvidsson and Nurse

The Edmonton Oilers will be without key players Darnell Nurse, Zach Hyman and Viktor Arvidsson for tonight’s matchup against the Minnesota Wild. Head coach Kris Knoblauch confirmed that Hyman is expected to miss 4-7 days due to injury. Arvidsson, who also sat out the last few games is not anticipated to return tonight or for Saturday’s contest either.

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Meanwhile, Darnell Nurse participated in the morning skate but didn’t take regular reps, making his availability for tonight unlikely. Despite these absences, the Oilers have adjusted their lineup, with new acquisition Kasperi Kapanen set to make his debut. Kapanen is slated to skate on the second line alongside Ryan Nugent-Hopkins and James Skinner, stepping in for Hyman in the top six.

The Oilers’ morning skate revealed a restructured lineup:

• First Line: Vasily Podkolzin-Connor McDavid-Leon Draisaitl
• Second Line: Jeff Skinner-Ryan Nugent-Hopkins-Kasperi Kapanen
• Third Line: Mattias Janmark-Adam Henrique-Connor Brown
• Fourth Line: Drake Caggiula-Derek Ryan-Corey Perry
• Defense Pairings: Mattias Ekholm-Evan Bouchard, Brett Kulak-Troy Stecher, Travis Dermott-Ty Emberson

Stuart Skinner will start in goal, with Calvin Pickard serving as the backup.

As the Oilers navigate these injuries, Kapanen’s debut should be fun for fans. The team is hoping his speed helps and that he can find a bit of his old game when he was with the Toronto Maple Leafs several seasons ago. Acquired to bolster depth, he’ll be under the spotlight to see how he complements the dynamic playmakers on his line.

Kasperi Kapanen will debut on the #Oilers second line against Minnesota in the absence of Zach Hyman & Viktor Arvidsson. View the #Oilers projected lineup ⤵️https://t.co/Qr4i6tX9Zt

— Edmonton Oilers (@EdmontonOilers) November 21, 2024

Meanwhile, Edmonton’s depth will be tested as they face critical games without three key players.

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