NEWARK, NJ – Goaltender Calvin Pickard will get the start for the Edmonton Oilers, while forward Curtis Lazar is poised to make his club debut against his former team on Saturday afternoon in the first of back-to-back games against the New Jersey Devils at Prudential Center.
Lazar, who played parts of three seasons with the Devils before signing with the Oilers this past offseason, will suit up for the first time in Blue & Orange on the right wing of the fourth line next to David Tomasek and Adam Henrique. Winger Isaac Howard will be a healthy scratch alongside centre Noah Philp, while defencemen Alec Regula (upper body) and Jake Walman (undisclosed) remain out due to injuries.
Pickard will receive his second start of the season for the Oilers before Stuart Skinner returns between the pipes for Sunday’s conclusion of back-to-back games against the Detroit Red Wings at Little Caesars Arena.
As per the lines during Saturday’s warmups, Head Coach Kris Knoblauch will shuffle all four of his forward lines – starting at the top by putting Ryan Nugent-Hopkins on the first line with Connor McDavid and Andrew Mangiapane.
Leon Draisaitl will be back between two of his regular linemates from last season in Vasily Podkolzin and Kasperi Kapanen, while Trent Frederic will centre Matt Savoie and Jack Roslovic on the third line.
