Morning Skate Updates: Islanders at Oilers

The New York Islanders take on the Edmonton Oilers on Thursday night at 9 p.m. et. Watch the game on MSG+2 or MSG GO. Listen live on 88.7FM, 660AM or 101.9FM. Read the game preview. Check the game notes.

ISLANDERS PROJECTED LINES:

FRITZ'S HOMECOMING:

Google Maps says that Grand Prairie, Alberta is four hours and forty-one minutes northwest of Edmonton, but Tanner Fritz figures it's really only four, maybe three-and-a-half.
Either way, Edmonton is as close as Fritz is going to get to his hometown, so Thursday's game is a homecoming of sorts - the first time he'll play an NHL game in Northern Alberta. Fritz estimates about 70 people making the drive down and for a 26-year-old who started the season in the AHL, getting this opportunity means a lot.
"I didn't know if I was going to be up here this long, but friends and family pointed it out that we're playing in Edmonton," Fritz said. "I'm excited to be playing tonight in front of family."

Fritz was a fan of Ryan Smyth growing up, which made him a de facto Oilers fan, though he also rooted for Joe Sakic and the Colorado Avalanche. He considers Grand Prairie his hometown, though he spent some time growing up in Beaumont, a suburb just south of Edmonton.
Fritz has knocked off a couple of firsts in his 20-game stint with the Islanders, first game, first goal, etc. Getting to play at home for the first time will rank up there.
"It's a once in a lifetime opportunity," Fritz said. "So it'll be pretty cool."

DAVIDSON RETURNS TO EDMONTON:

Jordan Eberle's return to Edmonton garnered a lot of attention over the past two days, but Thursday's game is also Brandon Davidson's first against the Oilers.
Davidson has been traded from the Oilers twice, once to Montreal last season and again to the Islanders at this year's trade deadline, but Thursday will be his first game against his former team. Davidson played 114 games for the Oilers over four seasons from 2014-18.
Davidson hails from Taber, Alberta, a town of roughly 5,000 near Lethbridge. Taber is south of Calgary, but the defenseman said he grew up in a pro-Ryan Smyth household, so he followed the Oilers. Getting to play for the Oilers was a thrill for Davidson and he looked back on his time in Edmonton fondly.

READ: EBERLE ENJOYING NEW LIFE WITH ISLES

"I loved playing in Edmonton. This is a great city. It's a hockey city," Davidson said. "Sold out year after year even if the team isn't doing well they sell out every game. It's just that atmosphere, it puts hockey on a pedestal, so a great place to play, I had a lot of fun here."
Davidson will have his mother Michelle, father Scott and sister Madison making the five-hour drive north from Taber for Thursday's game - and also to help him clean out his condo. This is, after all, his first trip back since the trade.
OILERS PROJECTED LINES:
| FORWARDS | | --- | | LEFT WING | CENTER | RIGHT WING | | MILAN LUCIC | CONNOR MCDAVID | LEON DRAISAITL | | MIKE CAMMALLERI | RYAN NUGENT-HOPKINS | PONTUS ABERG | | JESSE PULJUJARVI | RYAN STROME | ANTON SLEPYSHEV | | DRAKE CAGGIULA | JUJHAR KHAIRA | IIRO PAKARINEN |

| DEFENSE | | --- | | DARNELL NURSE | ADAM LARSSON | | OSCAR KLEFBOM | KRIS RUSSELL | | ANDREJ SEKERA | MATT BENNING |