PROJECTED LINEUP: Pickard set to start Thursday's rematch with Kraken

EDMONTON, AB – Goaltender Calvin Pickard will start for the Edmonton Oilers at Rogers Place in Thursday night's rematch against the Seattle Kraken.

The 33-year-old was named Edmonton's starter this morning by Head Coach Kris Knoblauch for their second meeting with Seattle in the last six days, after Stuart Skinner pitched a 26-save shutout in a 4-0 victory this past Saturday at Climate Pledge Arena on the West Coast.

Pickard's last performance was an exceptional one in a 2-1 overtime loss to the Tampa Lightning on Nov. 20, when he protected the shutout until the final three minutes of regulation before the Oilers fell in sudden death, having set a new season high with 33 saves in the tough-luck road defeat.

"You don't want them sitting too long," Knoblauch said. "We could absolutely go back with Stuart Skinner. We didn't play the other day, and he's playing really well, so he could have had this game. But with Picks, you don't want him going too long without having a game, and also, how well he played in his last game in Tampa Bay.

"He was a couple of minutes away from having a shutout and a spectacular game. Unfortunately, we gave up a goal late, and they scored in overtime. But he does not deserve to be sitting and he should have another start."

Coach Knoblauch will use the top-six forwards that featured during Wednesday's practice at the Downtown Community Arena, where Ryan Nugent-Hopkins was back on the top line with Connor McDavid and Zach Hyman to reconnect one of the NHL's best lines from the past three seasons.

"We moved Nuge from third-line centre back with Connor, just with them being familiar with each other and playing against other teams' top lines," Knoblauch said. "Nuge is obviously a good defensive player, so is Hyman, but I think it just gives a little more stability there.

"But like I said [yesterday], we're going to see Ryan play some centre and not be locked in at left wing through the year or even through this game. I think it's nice for him to play in that position because I think he plays his best hockey in the middle."

In the bottom six, Knoblauch wants to see the forwards simplify their games to earn more scoring chances and contribute more depth scoring.

"I think it's simplicity," he said. "Just throwing pucks to the net and looking for rebounds. That's the majority of the goals. It's not something fancy. I certainly don't want to add an extra pass. Goalies don't let in many bad goals, but it does happen once in a while. It's usually coming from chaos, whether that chaos is from a tip or just a rebound. But I think those guys who haven't scored can simplify their game and just get to the net a little more."

View the Oilers Projected Lineup vs. the Kraken below:

Nugent-Hopkins - McDavid - Hyman
Podkolzin - Draisaitl - Savoie
Janmark - Henrique - Mangiapane
Clattenburg - Lazar - Frederic

Ekholm - Bouchard
Nurse - Regula
Kulak - Emberson

Pickard
Skinner