PRESEASON GAME THREAD: Edmonton Oilers @ Calgary Flames

EDMONTON OILERS

CALGARY FLAMES

7PM MST

SCOTIABANK SADDLEDOME

TV: STREAMING ONLY

RADIO: 630 CHED

SB Nation Opponent: Matchsticks & Gasoline

The Edmonton Oilers head into their final preseason game against their provincial rivals with a few roster spots still to be determined.

The team let go of, Russian PTO, Anton Burdasov this morning and a few more players are expected to be waived at the conclusion of tonight’s game.

Before we get to that, lets take a look at who will be in the lineup for Edmonton:

and, on the other side of the ice, Calgary will roll with this:

Three (and a half) Things To Watch For:

1. We are in the endgame now. This is the last chance for players like Joakim Nygard, Gaeten Haas, Tomas Jurco, Patrick Russell, and William Lagesson to make a case for a roster spot. I would add in Ethan Bear to that group but, after his performance against Winnipeg, I think he is a lock. Expect a lot of motivated players trying to make a difference.
2. Calgary is icing an NHL lineup tonight against the Oilers while Edmonton will be without Connor McDavid, Ryan Nugent-Hopkins and James Neal. That leaves Leon Draisaitl as the lone top 6 forward in the lineup. Once again, this is an ideal challenge for those players trying to make a final impression before the season starts.
3. Mike Smith got the full 60 on Thursday, and now Mikko Koskinen will do the same tonight. Its been a rocky preseason for the big Finn so far, looking good at times and...meh the rest of the time. A good performance tonight will most likely land him the starting role on opening night but, if it goes sideways, Mike Smith will have the inside track.

1/2: Also, this game marks Milan Lucic’s first game against Edmonton since being traded earlier this summer....will there be fireworks? We’ll see.