PROJECTED LINEUP: Oilers at Sharks

SAN JOSE, CA – The Edmonton Oilers will be without Connor McDavid, Mattias Ekholm and Stuart Skinner again because of injuries on Thursday against the San Jose Sharks, but also for the remainder of their four-game road trip, Head Coach Kris Knoblauch confirmed following this morning's pre-game skate.

Knoblauch said that all three players will be out for the remainder of the road trip that includes tonight's meeting with the Sharks and dates against the Kings (Saturday) and Ducks (Monday) lined up before they return to Rogers Place next week.

Forward Trent Frederic is the closest to making a return to the lineup after he's been skating on the 'fifth line' during this road trip alongside Connor McDavid and Evander Kane. The trio of Mattias Ekholm, John Klingberg and Stuart Skinner are all not on the road trip and are not expected to join the team.

Knoblauch said that Frederic has the possibility of making his Oilers debut before the end of the road trip.

Goaltender Calvin Pickard will make his fourth consecutive start in the absence of Stuart Skinner and will be aiming to reach 20 wins in a season for the first time in his career.

Pickard made 26 saves in Tuesday's 3-2 win over the Vegas Golden Knights at T-Mobile Arena on Tuesday night and is looking to backstop the Oilers to their third straight victory as Edmonton's No. 1 goalie with Stuart Skinner out.

"He's doing well. He has not skated yet, but he's doing well and will be picking up on workouts and be on the ice soon," Knoblauch said of Skinner.

View the Oilers Projected Lineup vs. San Jose below:

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

Walman - Bouchard
Nurse - Stecher
Kulak - Emberson

Pickard
Rodrigue