The Edmonton Oilers could be without one of their top defenders when they take on the New York Rangers at Rogers Place. Head coach Kris Knoblauch confirmed after Saturday’s morning skate that Evan Bouchard is a game-time decision with a 50-50 chance of playing. While Knoblauch advised that it is an illness of some kind that kept Bouchard off the ice this morning, the uncertainty surrounding his status will keep fans on edge given the recent run of bad luck the team is working through right now.
“We’ll see how he’s doing before the game,” Knoblauch said of Bouchard’s status. “We’re optimistic that he can play.”
If Bouchard can’t go, it’s undoubtedly a tough blow for the Oilers’ blue line, especially when you then consider who would play with Ekholm on the top pairing if Dad can’t go. Even with his early season struggles, the 25-year-old is a key piece for Edmonton’s defensive group, quarterbacking the power play and eating significant minutes at even strength. His absence would leave a noticeable gap against a Rangers squad that is sporting a 12-5-1 record through 18 this season.
On a more positive note, Darnell Nurse is set to return to the lineup after missing the last three games following a high hit from Toronto’s Ryan Reaves last Saturday in Toronto. Getting Nurse back in the lineup will provide a boost to the Oilers’ back end, especially if Bouchard isn’t cleared to play. I don’t know how all of you feel about it, but I definitely missed Darnell this week and getting him back is a small win we need right now.
“First of all, he plays 22-to-25 minutes every night,” Knoblauch said. “He’s good at transporting puck and getting it out to the zone. The biggest thing is just how much area he covers defensively. Playing against him, there’s not much room because of his quick quickness and his reach. If you do get into a battle with him, he’s incredibly strong and can push you off the puck. It’s difficult to play against him.”
As for the Oilers’ forward group, both Zach Hyman (undisclosed injury) and Viktor Arvidsson (lower-body) remain out with very few details coming our way about what’s going on. As a result of their absences, the team has been forced to adjust their line combinations with players being forced to fight above their weight class a little bit. But as always, the hope is that the secondary scoring can step up and help with some of the lifting, and maybe the extra minutes can help with making that happen. Dare to dream? I’m a dreaming.
Either way, Saturday’s game against the Rangers is shaping up to be a challenging test for the Oilers, especially with the lineup still in flux in the hours leading up to the game. With puck drop coming up just after 8:00 PM MT on CBC, and all eyes will be on the warmup skate to see if Evan Bouchard is ready to go, or if he will be the latest player to fall out of Edmonton’s lineup over the past couple of weeks. Keep your fingers crossed, Nation.
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