oilers lines are set for Sunday night ET as the Edmonton Oilers open a four-game homestand at Rogers Place against the Nashville Predators, with Connor Ingram tabbed to start and several roster decisions hinging on game-time availability and recent injuries.
Oilers Lines and Goalie Choice
Head Coach Kris Knoblauch named Connor Ingram the No. 1 netminder and said Ingram will get the majority of starts for now, placing the goalie decision at the center of the projected lineup conversation. Ingram made 22 saves in the previous outing, a Friday 3-2 comeback defeat to the Blues that closed the Oilers’ road trip, and Knoblauch emphasized workload management while confirming his current starter plan. The projected forward and defensive groupings — the core of the oilers lines on the ice — will be tested immediately as Edmonton begins a homestand that includes back-to-back Western Conference opponents on Sunday and an extended slate this week that features matchups later in the week.
Injuries, Game-Time Calls and Depth Moves
Ryan Nugent-Hopkins is a game-time decision after a personal matter kept him out of the Friday defeat in St. Louis; he did participate in Sunday morning skate ET. With Nugent-Hopkins listed uncertain, Matt Savoie remained in his spot and has been a spark since the Olympic break, recording a goal and seven assists in nine games — a performance Connor McDavid, captain, Edmonton Oilers, highlighted as the group looks to stabilize during the homestand. Defenceman Ty Emberson, who left a win over Colorado with an injury in the first period, is expected to return “within the week, ” Knoblauch said, a timeline that affects the depth of the defensive pairings and the shape of the oilers lines over the coming games.
Knoblauch also confirmed that forward Colton Dach will miss some time after reaggravating an old injury from his time in Chicago during the win over the Avalanche, and that Max Jones will continue to fill a physical role on the fourth line. “I really like Jones, ” Knoblauch, Head Coach, Edmonton Oilers, said. “Jones has played some hockey games for us. He’s played really well. It was easy for me to say, ‘Yes, I would like Jones to come up here, ‘ and they’re very similar players. He fits in the same role and ice time and all that, and the other night he had a really strong game. ” Those choices shape the immediate makeup of the oilers lines and the minutes available for role players when top-six options are unavailable.
Leadership, Momentum and What to Watch Next
With playoff positioning top of mind, Connor McDavid, captain, Edmonton Oilers, framed the urgency succinctly: “We gotta ramp up just to get in. This is a playoff race, and we’re in the thick of it. There are 15 games left, and we gotta get our game going and get in. Nothing else should be on our mind other than that. ” McDavid also pointed to positives in the lineup mix, praising recent additions and role players: “Yeah, there are positives. Obviously, I thought Savvy’s played really well since the Olympic break. His game’s really gone to another level. Dickinson’s come in and been everything that he was hyped up to be, and Murph, just a calm presence on the back end. ” Those endorsements inform how the coaching staff will deploy the oilers lines through the homestand.
Coach Knoblauch framed Ingram’s role directly: “We’ve got one back-to-back later in April, so it’s not that our goaltender can’t be playing all these games. I think it’s a heavy workload to be giving Connor all those games, but right now, Connor is our starting goalie. He will get the majority of the starts for now until something changes, ” Knoblauch, Head Coach, Edmonton Oilers, said. That clarity points to a stable crease choice as the team confronts a run of meaningful games at Rogers Place.
Next up, the Oilers continue the homestand with matchups later this week ET and key decisions on availability expected to solidify at game time; the makeup of the oilers lines will be confirmed in the pregame skates and any late medical updates. Watch for final game-day scratches, the coach’s deployment of in-form players, and how Ingram handles the starter’s workload as Edmonton chases momentum on home ice.
