SAN JOSE, CA – Edmonton Oilers captain Connor McDavid will suit up while goaltender Stuart Skinner will get the start at the SAP Center on Wednesday night in the club's regular-season finale against the San Jose Sharks.
McDavid was held out of the lineup against Los Angeles on Monday for precautionary reasons with the team playing three games in four nights, but the captain will be back in the lineup tonight with a chance at reaching 100 points in the final game before playoffs.
"It wasn't quite a healthy scratch, but he is playing tonight, and I don't think it's [about] the milestone or hitting 100 points," Head Coach Kris Knoblauch said. "I'm sure that would feel great, but I think in Connor's mind, the most important thing is getting ready for the playoffs and doing everything he can so he's at his best."
While names like Leon Draisaitl, Trent Frederic, Zach Hyman, Evander Kane, Jake Walman and John Klingberg won't play, the Oilers bench boss is confident most will be ready to go for Game 1 of their first-round series against the Kings that starts either on Sunday or Monday at Crypto.com Arena in Los Angeles.
"We believe that all the guys that we have out will be joining us in playoffs, most of them for Game 1 and everyone but Mattias Ekholm," he said.
Despite defenceman Connor Carrick getting the emergency call-up from Bakersfield on Tuesday to deal with Darnell Nurse's suspension and Edmonton's long list of injuries, the 31-year-old defenceman won't play as the Oilers will be shorthanded once again with only 12 forwards and five defencemen.
"Unfortunately, Connor [Carrick] will not be playing just because of the emergency recall. We have to play one short," Knoblauch said. "So we played one short last game, but now we're putting Connor [McDavid] in the lineup and we'll continue to play one short because of the suspension to Darnell."
Nurse was suspended one game by the NHL's Department of Player Safety on Tuesday evening for a cross-check to the head of LA's Quinton Byfield.
