The Edmonton Oilers had a new face in the top-six for Tuesday’s morning skate ahead of Game 6 against the Florida Panthers: Max Jones.

After leading stretches at a Monday practice, he skated on the top line alongside Connor McDavid and Corey Perry, but as highlighted by Jack Michaels, Jones was there as a placeholder for the absent Ryan Nugent-Hopkins, who has been dealing with an undisclosed injury.

There were numerous other new looks at morning skate, as Kasperi Kapanen and John Klingberg appear ready to re-enter the series, replacing Viktor Arvidsson and Troy Stecher. Kapanen was pulled from the lineup for Game 5, while Klingberg didn’t play in either Game 4 or 5.

Kapanen had seen his ice time fall in Games 3 and 4, to under nine minutes, and you could tell his speed wasn’t out there on the ice. Klingberg, meanwhile, had seen some struggles of his own, but after a brief break will look to bring some life back.

Rounding out the Oilers’ top-six was the second line of Leon Draisaitl, Evander Kane and Kapanen, while Adam Henrique centred Jeff Skinner and Trent Frederic on the third line. Mattias Janmark was up the middle with Vasily Podkolzin and Connor Brown on the fourth line.

On the blue line, Mattias Ekholm and Evan Bouchard skated on the top pair, Darnell Nurse and Brett Kulak on the second, and Jake Walman and John Klingberg on the third.

Tuesday night’s Game 6 will be pivotal with the Oilers’ backs up against the wall. Lose tonight and for the second straight year they’ll watch the Panthers life the Stanley Cup on home ice, but a win will force a Game 7 in Edmonton on Friday night, and a chance to hoist Lord Stanley’s Mug on Rogers Place ice.

A strong start to the game will be key for the Oilers, who have been outscored 11-4 by the Panthers in the first period in the first five games of this series, including 7-0 in Games 3 through 5.

Zach Laing is Oilersnation’s associate editor, senior columnist, and The Nation Network’s news director. He also makes up one-half of the DFO DFS Report. He can be followed on Twitter, currently known as X, at @zjlaing, or reached by email at zach.laing@bettercollective.com.