BLOG: Monday practice updates 01.25.21

WINNIPEG, MB - The Oilers held a practice at Bell MTS Place on Monday.
The club defeated the Winnipeg Jets in regulation Sunday night by a score of 4-3.
Earlier in the day, the Oilers placed forward Tyler Ennis on waivers.
Get all updates, news, commentary and content following practice below.

Head Coach Dave Tippett on Monday's roster moves:

"We're just looking for some flexibility in our lineup. With having eight D on the roster, it limits your flexibility of forwards. We'll have some forwards that have the ability to go back and forth to the taxi squad. It's just flexibility more than anything in the lineup to see where we want to go.
"The guys in the taxi squad have worked very hard. We'd like to make sure that people are getting an opportunity to show what they can do. Those bottom lines are fairly fluid here. We're trying to find a nice rhythm there."

Tippett on Sunday's regulation win over Winnipeg:

"You certainly think about those. It's funny, not just our game but you're watching other games around our division and hoping for no three-point games. You know there are extra points available and if one team gets two and the other team gets none, you're way better off. That's certainly going to be a factor moving forward. We'll take the buzzer-beater last night and move on."

Tippett on placing Darnell Nurse on the Oilers power play:

"We're trying to find some rhythm in it. It's been up and down a little bit. Nurse played there a lot when (Oscar) Klefbom was hurt a couple of years ago. He has some experience there. (Tyson) Barrie is still getting comfortable. It gives it a different look. The one thing about Nurse is he's comfortable in the way things have gone in the past there."

Connor McDavid on the improvements he's seen the Oilers make so far this year:

"We've gotten better and better defensively as we've gone along here. We started a little bit loose. I like the way we were able to find our game in Toronto and continue it over to last night. We need to continue to do that."

Goaltender Mikko Koskinen on his load management and performance this season:

"It's a little bit easier right now because I'm familiar with the League and with the team. I think I can manage better the rest between games and practices.
"Overall, my game's been OK. I know I have a lot of room to improve. I try to improve every game and hopefully I'll be happy by the end of the year."

Koskinen on the Oilers coach's challenge on Sunday:

"I was pretty sure that they were not going to count that because I would have probably caught that puck pretty easily. He was pushing my hand and I couldn't catch it. You never know, sometimes the (camera) angle is maybe not the best and they make the wrong call."