The Edmonton Oilers close out a three-game homestand at Rogers Place on Friday night when they begin back-to-back games against the Winnipeg Jets.
You can watch the game on Sportsnet West or listen live on the Oilers Radio Network, including 630 CHED.
Subscribe to Oilers+ to unlock the Pre-Game Show that will begin at 6:30 p.m. MT, along with more exclusive live and behind-the-scenes content.

YOUR GAME-DAY ESSENTIALS

GAME DAY VIDEO
OILERS TODAY | Pre-Game vs. WPG
PRE-GAME RAW | Coach Woodcroft
PRE-GAME RAW | Kailer Yamamoto
PRE-GAME RAW | Ryan Nugent-Hopkins
RECENT VIDEOS
RAW | Nick Bjugstad 03.02.23
OILERS TODAY | Post-Game vs. TOR
POST-RAW | Mattias Ekholm 03.01.23
BY THE NUMBERS
Oilers Statistics
Jets Statistics
Stats Comparison
Game Notes
RECENT BLOGS & ARTICLES
BLOG: Bjugstad thrilled to join Oilers
RELEASE: Oilers acquire Bjugstad & Dineen
POST-GAME: Ek of a debut
VIEWING INFORMATION
You can watch Friday's game on Sportsnet West at 7:00 PM MT.

INSIDE THE OILERS

News and notes from the Oilers organization, including Mattias Ekholm making his debut and Nick Bjugstad's excitement about being acquired from the Arizona Coyotes.
>> READ MORE IN THE INSIDE THE OILERS BLOG

PRE-GAME REPORT

EDMONTON, AB - As the NHL Trade Deadline comes to a close, the new look Edmonton Oilers turn their attention to the final 20 games of the season.
With a couple of new additions in Mattias Ekholm and Nick Bjugstad over the last couple of days, the team is mostly set heading into an important stretch drive. The Oilers are in a battle for the Pacific Division crown coming into Friday night's contest and are just four points out of first place in the division and five points out of leading the Western Conference.
Edmonton will look to gain ground in a home-and-away back-to-back series against the visiting Winnipeg Jets, a team they are currently sharing one of the final two NHL Wildcard spots with.
The Jets have been in a mild lull as of late, with a 4-5-1 record over their last 10 games after previously leading the Central Division back in mid-December. Despite the recent dip, Head Coach Jay Woodcroft spoke to the difficulty of tonight's contest following morning skate.
"As we work our way down the stretch, we know we're going to have to be good. We see a 35-win team walk in our building tonight, and they've won 34 of those 35 games in regulation or overtime," Woodcroft said about tonight's opponent. "They're a real hockey team here, that's right there alongside with us. We're going to play them tonight at home, tomorrow on the road, and we better be ready. We need everybody with that kind of mindset, and if we have it, we'll think we'll be in a good spot as we navigate our way down the stretch."

NEW KIDS ON THE BLOCK

The Oilers got their first viewing of new addition Mattias Ekholm on Wednesday in their 5-2 victory over the Toronto Maple Leafs. The veteran defender player 20:50 in the contest and recorded his first point as an Oiler in one 'Ek' of a debut. The 32-year-old's first showing was well regarded by his teammates.
"I mean, definitely rather play with him," Ryan Nugent-Hopkins said about the steady defender. "Playing against him for years now, he's a hard guy to play against. Makes the right decisions all over the ice and then makes it tough to get to the net and doesn't give you anything easy."
"I thought the other night, especially coming in that quick and having to play, I thought he did a great job," He added. "(Ekholm) got everything through from up top and just made the right play. Like I said, so excited to see him join our team and get rolling with him now."
"Yeah, Eks was unbelievable last game, he's a great addition to our team," Kailer Yamamoto said about the trade. "And getting Bjugstad, I'm really looking forward to see what he brings to this team and meeting him for the first time."
Nick Bjugstad was the other Oilers trade deadline acquisition, joining the Blue & Orange in a deal with the Arizona Coyotes. The 6-foot-6 forward fills a lot of needs for the Edmonton Oilers - he brings size, a right-hand shot, position flexibility, and penalty-kill acumen.
"I played (against) him for a long time, and obviously a steady big right hand centerman, good in the face-off circle," Nugent-Hopkins said about Bjugstad. "I've always struggled against him. Again, he's hard to play against, so definitely looking forward to having him join us as well."
Woodcroft believes the impact of the new additions will touch more than just the individuals involved in the deal. The locker room can see the faith being placed in the squad by management, that they are willing to sacrifice significant future assets to give this year's squad the best chance to compete for the Stanley Cup.
"I think they feel buoyed by that. I think it lifts everybody up," Woodcroft said. "I think it shows that we're serious about making a long run here, and it's never fun to see friends walk out the door and we've seen a few leave us, but it's part of the business. We're excited about the additions that have been made."

YAMA-GOOD-TO-GO

While Bjugstad is unlikely to be in the lineup due to a late arrival into Edmonton on Friday, it looks like Kailer Yamamoto will be ready to play against the Jets.
The diminutive, but feisty forward took a questionable hit from behind the Maple Leafs net on Wednesday from Justin Holl and was pulled from the remainder of the contest for precautionary reasons.
"I feel good. That was a good hit, thought it was a little cheap, but that is what it is," Yamamoto said. "Nuge took account of that for me, so I appreciate that guy. But yeah, I'm good."
Nugent-Hopkins also took exception to the hit, shedding the gloves and downing Holl in a quick scrap. It was a move well received by the Rogers Place crowd and his teammates.
"I saw Yamo kind of turn the other way and seemed a little vulnerable," Nugent-Hopkins said. "I mean, it happens fast and you just kind of react to it and I know a lot of guys would have done the same thing, so I just tried to step in there for him."
Yamamoto had just been finding his groove in the Oilers lineup after missing the better part of two months due to two separate stints on the IR. The 24-year-old scored against the Maple Leafs, forcing his way into the slot to tip a Cody Ceci point shot by Ilya Samsonov for his sixth goal of the season. In the three-games prior to the Toronto contest, Yamamoto scored against Pittsburgh and played more than 18:32 against Columbus and Boston.
"Yeah, I thought my last couple of games (were good), I thought my first three when I came back were iffy, but I feel like my last three have been good," Yamamoto said. "I'm starting to get back to my old self, but it's been a long year. I've been out for a while, so trying to get back into that rhythm, and that's going good so far."
"I think he's progressively getting a little bit better," Woodcroft said about Yamamoto. "I feel that he has the ability to play against the best players in the world. I think he's a good penalty killer. He has a good defensive conscience. He's at his best when he's displaying a level of tenaciousness. He's at his best when he is just playing, and he does not have pause in his game. I think he's making steps towards getting back to feeling where he wants to feel good."
"It's also another lesson, that even when you do return to full health, we're at game 63 of the NHL schedule," He continued. "The pace is pretty high, so if you've missed a large chunk of action, it takes you a while to get back up to speed while everybody else is at such a high level. I think his game is coming around."
-- Michael Arcuri, EdmontonOilers.com

PREVIEW

OILERS vs. JETS
WATCH: 7:00 p.m. MT; televised on Sportsnet West
Oilers Team Scope
Three trades made by the Edmonton Oilers over the last few days have altered the complexion of their roster as the Blue & Orange load up for the final 20 games of the regular season and Stanley Cup Playoffs.
Oilers GM & President of Hockey Operations Ken Holland moved Jesse Puljujarvi to the Carolina Hurricanes for prospect Patrik Puistola before acquiring defenceman Mattias Ekholm and a 2023 sixth-round pick from the Nashville Predators for Tyson Barrie, Reid Schaefer and 2023 first- & 2024 sixth-round selections.
Ekholm was strong in his debut, playing 20:50 and recording an assist, two shots, three hits and two blocks with a plus-2 rating as the Oilers defeated the Toronto Maple Leafs 5-2 at Rogers Place on Wednesday night.
"I take a lot of pride in the defensive side of the game," he said. "I think that's where I'm at my best, so knowing that if I do my job to 100 percent, there's a high probability that the outcome of the game is going to be really good... For me to come in and have a role of trying to shut their big lines down and keep the opposition to a low score, it's my job coming in here and so far, so good. It's a first win and a good first start."
The Oilers continued to add to their roster with a Thursday deal with the Arizona Coyotes to trade centre Nick Bjugstad and defenceman Cam Dineen to Edmonton for prospect Michael Kesselring and a 2023 third-rounder. As part of the deal, Arizona retains 50 percent of Bjugstad's salary, while Dineen will report to the AHL's Bakersfield Condors.
Bjugstad doesn't anticipate being in the lineup on Friday when the Oilers open a home-and-away back-to-back with the Winnipeg Jets, but an upcoming four-game road trip could be the first chance for the excited 6-foot-6 centre to bring his two-way game to the ice for Edmonton.
"I've kind of refound my game this past year," Bjugstad said. "I got knocked off course a little bit and I felt I still had more in the tank still only being 30 years old. I had a good opportunity here in Arizona to kind of find my footing again and it's been a good season so far. I feel like individually I have more to give and I definitely want to be a part of a playoff-calibre team."

Jets Team Scope
The Winnipeg Jets are expecting to have two more important pieces out of their lineup on Friday night due to injury as the Central Division side tries to battle its way out of a four-game winless skid.
Forward Mason Appleton will miss both fames of their back-to-back games against the Oilers after being put on Injured Reserve with an upper-body injury. Pierre-Luc Dubois could be unavailable with a lower-body injury for a second straight contest after missing a 6-5 shootout defeat to the Los Angeles Kings on Tuesday, but will travel practice on the road with the team in hopes of returning to the lineup.
"Dubie skated this morning. He had a light skate," head coach Rick Bowness said after Thursday's 45-minute practice. "He will travel with us. He'll skate tomorrow morning, not sure with us or on his own, we'll see how he feels in the morning. He would be very doubtful for tomorrow and maybe hopeful for Saturday."
In their only meeting this season, Winnipeg came away with a 2-1 New Year's Eve victory over the Oilers when Connor Hellebuyck made 31 saves to help snap Connor McDavid's 17-game point streak.

Injury Report
OILERS - Oscar Klefbom (shoulder) is on IR; Mike Smith (undisclosed) is on IR;
Ryan Murray
(undisclosed) is on IR;
Evander Kane
(upper body) is day-to-day.
JETS - Pierre-Luc Dubois (lower body) is day-to-day; Mason Appleton (upper body) is day-to-day; Cole Perfetti (upper-body) is on IR; David Gustafsson (upper body) is on IR.
-- Jamie Umbach, EdmontonOilers.com