PROJECTED LINEUP: Hyman out for Saturday's meeting with Golden Knights

EDMONTON, AB – Zach Hyman will not suit up for the Edmonton Oilers on Saturday night when they host the Vegas Golden Knights in a Pacific Division battle at Rogers Place.

Head Coach Kris Knoblauch confirmed the winger’s unavailability after he was a non-participant at Saturday’s pre-game skate, with the Oilers shuffling their top-six forwards accordingly by swapping Vasily Podkolzin and Ryan Nugent-Hopkins on the top two lines and moving Kasperi Kapanen into the top six.

Hyman is being held out of the lineup as a precaution with a nagging injury issue to preserve his status for the coming post-season run, but Coach Knoblauch added that if tonight were a playoff game, the winger would’ve been available to suit up.

“It was something that he was playing through,” Knoblauch said. “It was uncomfortable, but a lot of our players are going through something, but it wasn't getting better. We wanted to just give him some rest so he can heal and be 100 percent for the playoffs. 

“Whether that's five days or 14 days, somewhere in that window, then we should be good.”

The Oilers are officially sitting in first place in the Pacific Division after the Ducks dropped a 6-2 decision to the Blues last night, putting Edmonton ahead based on regulation wins despite being tied with Anaheim on 87 points with seven regular-season games left.

The Golden Knights have won two straight games over Vancouver & Calgary and sit three points back of the Oilers for second place in the Pacific Division, with the two rivals potentially on course for a rematch in the first round of the playoffs this season.

In addition to looking to win their sixth straight overall, the Oilers have won their last five regular-season meetings with the Golden Knights and can sweep the season series with a win tonight that would increase the gap to 10 points between them and the final Wild Card spot in the Western Conference.

"I think it's just playing the right way, making them have a hard night and playing them solid for 60," Ryan Nugent-Hopkins said. "We know these two teams know each other very well.  We've played each other twice in the playoffs over the last few years, and obviously lots of important games in the regular season.  So it doesn't change much, but we both obviously know where we're at and what it means."

View the Oilers Projected Lineup vs. the Golden Knights below:

Nugent-Hopkins - McDavid - Savoie
Podkolzin - Dickinson - Kapanen
Frederic - Samanski - Roslovic
Jones - Henrique - Lazar

Ekholm - Bouchard
Nurse - Murphy
Walman - Emberson

Ingram
Jarry