PROJECTED LINEUP: Dineen & Jones to make Oilers debuts against Canadiens

EDMONTON, AB – Forward Max Jones and defenceman Cam Dineen will both make their Edmonton Oilers debuts on Thursday night when the club continues its three-game homestand at Rogers Place against the Montreal Canadiens.

Jones, who landed in Oil Country along with forward Trent Frederic earlier this week in a trade with the Boston Bruins, will step into the lineup to make his Blue & Orange debut on the fourth line next to Kasperi Kapanen and Corey Perry in the spot previously held down by Vasily Podkolzin.

"Yeah, I'm in the lineup, so I'm super thrilled," Jones said after this morning's pre-game skate. "It's been a crazy 24 hours, a crazy season, but it's just hockey, so I'm excited to play it here in a great city that loves their team."

"This facility here is unbelievable. I think it's testament to the city and the fans and the culture here, so I'm just honored to really be a part of it, learn from these guys and do what I can to help."

After being acquired from the Bruins on Tuesday, the winger was summoned from the Bakersfield Condors a day later when Matt Savoie was loaned back to the AHL, making room for the former first-round pick (24th overall) by the Anaheim Ducks at the 2016 NHL Draft to make his debut tonight at Rogers Place.

Jones dressed in seven games with Boston this season and recorded 13 goals and eight assists over 38 AHL games with the Providence Bruins. Before signing in Boston this past offseason, Jones played 258 games and produced 31 goals and 31 assists for the Ducks over six seasons from 2018-24.

Jones brings a physical element to his game and works hard every shift to make it hard on his opponents, using an imposing style of play that the Oilers are excited to add to their lineup along with Frederic, who's currently week-to-week with an ankle injury.

"I think he's a player that gives us something we don't have," Head Coach Kris Knoblauch said. "A little more speed, a little more physicality, a really simple game, but a guy who gets in on the forecheck makes it a little more uncomfortable for the opposition."

The 27-year-old understands the role he's been brought in to play in Edmonton and knows how to bring it every time he steps on the ice.

"The physicality part and working hard part, that's something I can control, so it's pretty easy just to do that. It's pretty similar to what I was doing," he said. "So from there, it's kind of just going out playing hockey, and I've been playing some pretty good hockey lately and I'm just gonna translate it to playing the way that I've always played in Anaheim and Boston and whatnot.

"So I'm just gonna step in and do the role that I have and just take it from there."

Dineen was recalled on an emergency basis from Bakersfield on Wednesday alongside Jones with blueliner Mattias Ekholm potentially needing a rest and John Klingberg nursing a minor injury. Coach Knoblauch confirmed after Thursday's morning skate that both Ekholm and Klingberg will be out of the lineup against the Canadians, paving the way for the 26-year-old to make his first regular-season Oilers appearance on the blue line against Montreal.

Dineen leads all Bakersfield defencemen this season with five goals and 24 assists over 45 AHL games.

"We feel it's best that Ekky takes some time off, and whether or not that's one or two games, definitely tonight. So Ekky's not playing," Knoblauch said. "Klingberg's not available tonight too. He has a minor injury that he'll be back from very soon, so right now, we've called up Cam as emergency and he will be playing tonight."

Winger Jeff Skinner will be the extra forward for the Oilers tonight, while goaltender Stuart Skinner will be between the pipes against Montreal, who are riding a five-game winning streak into Edmonton.

Nick Suzuki has 13 points for the Habs since returning from the 4 Nations Face-Off break, while Cole Caufield has a career-high 30 goals this season.

"I think their first line is one of the better ones in the league," Knoblauch said. "I think a lot of respect for those three that they're playing really well, not only well offensively, but really good defensively as well. But also, the lines two through four are contributing, everyone just chipping in and Patrick Laine is obviously is a very gifted offensive player, especially on the power play.

"Throughout the lineup, I think there's just a lot of guys getting contributions and it's important for our four lines being able to match that level of play."

View the Oilers Projected Lineup vs. Montreal below:

Nugent-Hopkins - McDavid - Hyman
Podkolzin - Draisaitl - Arvidsson
Janmark - Henrique - Brown
Jones - Kapanen - Perry

Kulak - Bouchard
Nurse - Emberson
Dineen - Stecher

Skinner
Pickard