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Oilers lineup update: Jarry starts, Hyman a game-time decision, and Frederic returns
Photo credit: Jerome Miron-Imagn Images
By Zach Laing
Apr 2, 2026, 13:00 EDTUpdated: Apr 2, 2026, 13:03 EDT
The Edmonton Oilers lineup will have a bit of a different look on Thursday as the Chicago Blackhawks roll into town.
While Tristan Jarry will start between the pipes, the Oilers might be without forward Zach Hyman, who head coach Kris Knoblauch ruled a game-time decision. Hyman wasn’t on the ice for Wednesday’s practice with an undisclosed issue.
His potential absence isn’t the only potential change to the lineup, as Trent Frederic is set to return to the lineup. He skated on a line with Jason Dickinson and Kasperi Kapanen, and while the Oilers skated on Thursday morning, no lines were shared. Tristan Jarry, meanwhile, will start between the pipes.
Knoblauch acknowledged the tough decisions the team has to face as they begin to get players back from injury.
“It’s going to be a very difficult decision, and we’ve spent a lot of time thinking about what we need to do going forward,” said Knoblauch. “I think it’s important that everyone stays involved, everyone still gets to play a little bit, because during the playoffs, we’re always going to have injuries, and you don’t want to have somebody sitting for weeks and then saying, ‘okay, we need you now.'”
Frederic has been out of the Oilers lineup since March 19, after getting hurt against the Florida Panthers after getting diagnosed with a concussion, according to Oilersnation’s Jason Gregor. The timing of the injury was poor, as Frederic was playing some of the best hockey he had coming out of the Olympic break, scoring two goals and three points in the dozen games he played.
The Blackhawks have been dealing with injuries of their own, with Oliver Moore out, defencemen Matt Grzelcyk and Artyom Levshunov and forward Andrew Mangiapane all day-to-day. Manigapane, who had one goal and two points in seven games for Chicago after the Oilers traded him there, has been out of the lineup for nearly two weeks, but travelled with the team on their current road trip.
Zach Laing is Oilersnation’s managing editor, and The Nation Network’s news director. He also makes up one-half of the Daily Faceoff DFS Hockey Report. He can be followed on X at @zjlaing, or reached by email at zach.laing@bettercollective.com.
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