JGD Preseason #2: Oiler Aboard!
8 years ago
The quick pace of the NHL preseason is in full effect tonight as the Winnipeg Jets – fresh off last night’s OT loss to the Minnesota Wild – are in Edmonton to take on the perennially young and rebuilding Oilers.
The Oilers have managed to get out to a fine 2 and 0 start to the preseason after a couple of wins on Monday night in split squad games against the Calgary Flames so of course Oilers fans are planning the parade already.
Let’s take a look at the rosters for tonight’s game…
Winnipeg Jets
Forwards:
Alexander Burmistrov – Adam Lowry – Thomas Raffl – Matt Halischuk – Andrew Copp – Joel Armia – Matt Fraser – Patrice Cormier – JC Lipon – Ryan Olsen – Scott Kosmachuk – Chase De Leo
Defense:
Adam Pardy – Ben Chariot – Jay Harrison – Brendan Kichton – Nelson Nogier – Julian Melchiori
Goalies:
Michael Hutchinson – Eric Comrie – David Leggio
That’s a fine looking roster if you’re looking to build a very good AHL club. It’s clearly an audition night for the Jets and it’s best to brace yourself for another night of low-scoring.
Expect Hutch to get the start and it’s possible we see a new goalie every period tonight because why else would you dress three goalies on the road?
Pardy and Chariot should be your main defensive pairing tonight although the coaches will likely want to take a good long look at Kichton and Melchori as well.
Edmonton Oilers:
Forwards:
Benoit Pouliot – Ryan Nugent-Hopkins – Jordan Eberle
Anton Lander – Leon Draisaitl – Nail Yakupov
Matt Hendricks – Mark Letestu – Lauri Korpikoski
Anton Slepyshev – Bogdan Yakimov – Braden Christoffer
Defense:
Oscar Klefbom – Justin Schultz
Griffin Reinhart – Eric Gryba
Darnell Nurse – Jordan Oesterle
Goalies:
Cam Talbot
Ben Scrivens
The Jets won’t get a chance to meet Connor McDavid tonight – that by all accounts will happen Friday when the two teams play again in Winnipeg.
Cam Talbot will get the start and probably play the whole game. The Oilers want each goalie to get a full game in this week.
Todd McLellan has started from the start of camp that he’s wanted the Oilers rosters all but set early in camp so that they can work on chemistry between lines. Could be a long night for Jets fans as we see what is essentially the Manitoba Moose with a few junior players line up against mostly an NHL lineup.
PREDICTIONS
Game Day Prediction: Expect another grind-it-out-and-work-on-the-basics low scoring type game from both teams.
Obvious Prediction: We’ll see more of that wonderful 3 on 3 overtime tonight. (This actually isn’t a prediction as it’s more a fact that was announced a day ago that regardless of the score after three periods, the NHL is going to put the 3 on 3 overtime on display for fans)
Not So Obvious Prediction: Matt Fraser shows how critical a mistake the Oilers have made in letting him go by scoring a hat trick against one of his old clubs.
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