PROJECTED LINEUP: Hyman's absence adds to injury woes ahead of Canucks rematch

VANCOUVER, BC – Early injury woes continue on the West Coast.

The Edmonton Oilers will be down another veteran leader for Thursday's rematch with the Vancouver Canucks at Rogers Arena after Head Coach Mike Babcock revealed that Zach Hyman didn't make the trip and could be out for up to two weeks.

The winger sustained an upper-body injury during Edmonton's final pre-season contest against Calgary back on Saturday, but it wasn't enough to keep him out of Tuesday's season-opening loss to the Canucks, where he was held scoreless with three shots, two hits and a plus-1 rating over 20:33 of ice time, including 5:04 on the man advantage.

Hyman's ailment adds to an already-packed injury list for the Oilers early this season, including Nugent-Hopkins, who was injured near the end of the final practice of Training Camp earlier this week and didn't suit up on Tuesday before being placed on Injured Reserve this morning.

Josh Samanski was recalled from the Bakersfield Condors on an emergency basis to fill No. 93's place and will centre the fourth line with Isaac Howard & Trent Frederic.

Coach Babcock said that it's another opening for some of the team's younger players like Josh Samanski, Owen Michaels and Isaac Howard to earn some extra looks in elevated roles, while it's a chance for the bench boss & his staff to learn more about the group in the face of some early-season adversity with injuries.

"For me, I gotta figure out who they are, but for them, what an opportunity if you're a young guy or you're a new guy trying to find a role on a team," Babcock said. "We're trying everybody because we're trying to figure it out ourselves. You might say it's not ideal, but in another way, it's really ideal.

"A little adversity at the start of the year never hurt anybody. Let's dig in."

One person who's taken advantage of opportunity so far is Vasily Podkolzin, whose two goals on the power play were critical to the Oilers coming back to earn a point in Saturday's 6-5 overtime loss.

The Russian will stay on the top line Connor McDavid and Leon Draisaitl tonight after the trio had plenty of third-period success together on opening night.

"Connor does it 10 times faster than anyone in this room and in this league," Podkolzin said. "Of course, sometimes, it's difficult. I wish I was a little bit smarter or a little bit faster, but it is what it is [smiles].  Here I am, and I'm just trying to be useful for him and try to help the team win."

Goaltender Devon Levi will make his first career start for the Oilers and has been building towards this moment throughout a strong Training Camp & Preseason.

"I think the confidence is earned every day through practice," he said. "Just showing up to the rink ready to get better, ready to work and be a pro. I don't think you get confidence today – I think you build confidence before today, so I was working hard to get here."

View the Oilers Projected Lineup vs. Vancouver below:

Podkolzin - McDavid - Draisaitl
Jones - Dach - Kapanen
Formenton - Michaels - Joseph
Howard - Samanski - Frederic

Ekholm - Bouchard
Shea - Murphy
Walman - Mukhamadullin

Levi
Jarry