PROJECTED LINEUP: Draisaitl & Dickinson game-time decisions for Game 1 against Ducks

EDMONTON, AB – We’ll have to see what comes out of the gate for Game 1.

Forwards Leon Draisaitl and Jason Dickinson will be game-time decisions for the Edmonton Oilers on Monday ahead of Game 1 of their first-round series against the Anaheim Ducks at Rogers Place.

Head Coach Kris Knoblauch had “no updates” on Draisaitl and Dickinson during his media availability after Monday’s optional pre-game skate, where both forwards weren’t on the ice for the Oilers, but the pair were full participants in Monday’s full practice at Rogers Place and appear close to being ready to begin the series against the Ducks.

But with this being the playoffs, a determination on their final status will have to wait.

“As we've said before, we expect them sometime during this first round,” Knoblauch said. “Now that it’s the playoffs, it's a little more sacred about what our lineups are going to be, and we're not going to announce who's playing and what their lines are going to be exactly.”

“You guys (the media) will have to do some homework, but you'll have to wait and find out what our lineup looks like tonight.”

Draisaitl spoke on Sunday about his excitement to return from a 14-game absence for a lower-body injury he sustained on March 15 in a 3-1 win over the Nashville Predators, having spent the practice in his expected spot with Vasily Podkolzin and Kasperi Kapanen.

The German has been back practicing since the start of the Oilers final homestand of the regular season, and with the way he has been skating, he looks to be on the verge of being ready in time to begin the playoffs and provide the Oilers with a boost for Game 1 against the Ducks.

Dickinson was also back at practice on Sunday after sustaining a lower-body injury in a 5-2 win over the San Jose Sharks on April 8, which led to him missing the last three games of the regular season.

“I'm not sure what the status is on those guys, but whoever's going tonight is going to be ready,” Zach Hyman said. “I think we have a lot of depth on our team. We have guys who have stepped in and have really done a phenomenal job, and a lot of young guys are taking on big roles. Everybody's aware of what Leon and what Dickey provide.”

“If he's back, it'll be big for us,” Adam Henrique said. “I thought the group did a good job not rallying around it, but playing as a group without him in the lineup.  So we’ll wait and see if he's back tonight or not, but he would certainly be a welcome addition.”

Connor Ingram will start in his first playoff game since May 9, 2022, when he was a member of the Nashville Predators, starting three games against the eventual Stanley Cup-winning Colorado Avalanche and finishing with a 3.64 GAA and .913 SV%.

Ingram is 10-6-2 with a .901 save percentage since the Olympic break and has looked more comfortable behind an improved Edmonton defence that allowed only four goals in its last three regular-season games.

"I think structurally we've been better, but I also think it's just in between your ears, the dedication, and knowing that if you can keep the goals against down, you're going to have a great chance of winning games," Hyman said. "So I think it's a mental thing.  Obviously, everybody knows what time of year it is, and there's no better time to start doing it. So I think we're prepared.

"I think we know the recipe that we need out there to be successful, and we want some scoring as well. But I do think that for us, it starts on the defensive side.  When we do get that part in, it's usually a good thing."

With Monday's practice being optional, tonight's lines and defence pairings are based on Sunday's full-team practice at Rogers Place.

View the Oilers Projected Lineup vs. the Ducks for Game 1 below:

Savoie - McDavid - Hyman
Podkolzin - Draisaitl - Kapanen
Nugent-Hopkins - Dickinson - Roslovic
Dach - Henrique - Frederic 

Ekholm - Bouchard
Nurse - Murphy
Walman - Emberson

Ingram
Jarry