Game Thread: Oilers at Jets

Tonight the Oilers will be in action in Winnipeg against the Jets. This will be the third time the Oilers have played in the preseason, or maybe this is the second time, the split squad games confuse me, either way there is some hockey tonight. And as we all know, hockey is good. Or at least it can be good if the teams and/or players are good. But the Oilers aren't particularly good, same with the Jets, and this is the preseason meaning half these guys will soon be playing elsewhere, so as it turns out this game likely won't be very good at all. Why are you watching this game?

How To Tune In

It being the preseason, finding the games isn't always easy but there are a couple of options available for you tonight:
- Radio at 630 CHED
- Online at edmontonoilers.com (if you live in AB, SK, NWT, or NU)
- Rumour is channel 350 on Shaw and 1460 on Bell will be carrying the game on a free NHL Centre Ice preview. No word yet on a channel for Telus subscribers.

What To Watch For With The Oilers

If you're looking for something good I suggest keeping an eye on the Oilers top line tonight. Without Taylor Hall that obviously won't be the team's first line when the games start meaning something, but with three actual NHL forwards on it, it's as good as it's going to get tonight.

If the future is more your thing then the second line with Draisaitl and Tkachev is for you. Draisaitl's is going to make the Oilers and Tkachev is looking to secure a contract. They're also about as physically different as two 18 year old players can be.

If you're into torture then I suggest the Aulie/Schultz combination. On Sunday night Aulie looked slow, like feet encased in concrete slow. Schultz is anything but slow, but he's not a big fan of playing defence and he also likes to jump into the play whenever he sees the opportunity. Considering who he'll be leaving behind to cover for him I can only hope each time he joins the rush that the Oilers score, just so the play doesn't come back to their end of the rink.

What To Watch For With The Jets

From Arctic Ice Hockey:

Kan Scheif Wheel? Winnipeg Jets fans are set to get their first glimpse (this year) of what could be their new top line. This line will feature sophomore stud, Mark Scheifele centring Evander Kane and Blake Wheeler. Kane and Wheeler are proved commodities at the NHL level. They are both easily among the top 30 scorers - at their respective positions - over the last three years. Scheifele is less proven. If he can keep up, he could be in a big year. Today is the first taste.

Line Combinations

Edmonton Oilers

Nail Yakupov - Ryan Nugent-Hopkins - Jordan Eberle
Benoit Pouliot - Leon Draisaitl - Vladimir Tkachev
Curtis Hamilton - Bogdan Yakimov - Andrew Miller
Kale Kessy - Travis Ewanyk - Tyler Pitlick

Martin Marincin - Darnell Nurse
Martin Gernat - Oscar Klefbom
Keith Aulie - Justin Schultz

Laurent Brossoit

Winnipeg Jets
Evander Kane - Mark Scheifele - Blake Wheeler
Nikolaj Ehlers - Nicolas Petan - Scott Kosmachuk
T.J. Galiardi - Adam Lowry - Matt Halischuk
Eric Tangradi - Patrice Cormier - Anthony Peluso

Josh Morrissey - Jacob Trouba
Adam Pardy - Julian Melchiori
Grant Clitsome - Will O'Neal

Danny Taylor