The Edmonton Oilers return to action for the first time in 2023 with a home match against the Seattle Kraken on Tuesday night at Rogers Place.
You can watch the game on Sportsnet One or listen live on the Oilers Radio Network, including 630 CHED.
Subscribe to Oilers+ to unlock the Pre-Game Show that will begin at 6:30 p.m. MT, along with more exclusive live and behind-the-scenes content.

YOUR GAME-DAY ESSENTIALS

GAME DAY VIDEO
OILERS TODAY | Pre-Game vs. SEA
PRE-GAME RAW | Coach Woodcroft
PRE-GAME RAW | Connor McDavid
RECENT VIDEOS
PRACTICE RAW | Coach Woodcroft 01.02.23
PRACTICE RAW | Leon Draisaitl 01.02.23
PRACTICE RAW | Klim Kostin 01.02.23
PRACTICE | Turning The Page
BY THE NUMBERS
Oilers Statistics
Kraken Statistics
Stats Comparison
Game Notes
RECENT BLOGS & ARTICLES
GENE'S BLOG: The Real Klim Shady
BLOG: Oilers resolve to get healthy
GAME RECAP: Jets 2, Oilers 1
VIEWING INFORMATION
You can watch Tuesday's game on Sportsnet One at 7:00 PM MT.

INSIDE THE OILERS

News and notes from Oilers practice at Rogers Place on Monday, where both Klim Kostin and Leon Draisaitl participated in full ahead of Tuesday's visit from Seattle.
>> READ MORE IN THE INSIDE THE OILERS BLOG

PRE-GAME REPORT

EDMONTON, AB - The Oilers are hoping to replicate the success they had just four days ago when they take on the Seattle Kraken again on Tuesday night.
The two teams got together just before the New Year's break, with the Oilers coming away with a dominant 7-2 victory. Connor McDavid recorded five points on the night (1G, 4A) while Zach Hyman and Klim Kostin each notched a pair of goals.
The Pacific Division foes will enter the night deadlocked in the NHL standings with 42 points each on the year. As the season reaches its post-Christmas run, these divisional games become exceptionally important when sorting out potential play-off seeding.
"It's a big one. It was a big one in Seattle the other night and another chance to play them again," McDavid said about tonight's contest. "I'm sure they'll come in ready to go based on what happened the last game, so we'll expect their best. I expect our best to be on display tonight."
The Oilers will most likely have some added reinforcements tonight in the form of the NHL's second-leading scorer Leon Draisaitl. The German superstar has skated the last couple of days with and without the team and is likely to add his 21 goals and 57 points back to the lineup tonight at Rogers Place.
"Well, he's a former Hart Trophy winner, a special player, and somebody who brings a lot to the game and brings a lot to the team," Head Coach Jay Woodcroft said about the forward after this morning's skate. "How do I think we made out without him? I thought we played two hard games and obviously we found a way in Seattle and we didn't get any points in the Winnipeg game, but there was lots of good in it for us."
The Oilers did see some others step up in Draisaitl's two-game absence. Ryan Nugent-Hopkins recorded four assists, Jesse Puljujarvi and Darnell Nurse each scored a goal against the Kraken, while Kostin recorded three goals in the two games.

FOCUS ON DEFENCE

One area the Oilers have seen an improvement as of late is their defensive play. Over the last three contests the Oilers have only conceded five goals in the last three contests, all against Western Division foes.
Edmonton is lucky to have three of the NHL's top-10 scorers in McDavid (1), Draisaitl (2), and Nugent-Hopkins (t-9) along with another point-per game forward in Zach Hyman. Scoring will rarely be an issue for the Blue & Orange so they know the path to success moving forward is clamping down in their own end.
"I've liked our track and sort out," McDavid said about the Oilers commitment to their own end as of late. "I thought we've been doing a good job of coming back and the defence has been doing a good job of challenging the line and breaking pucks out. It is something that is important for our group and I think we're doing a better job of that."
Woodcroft admits that the Oilers up-and-down defensive track record in the early part of the season was one of the major focuses for the coaching staff. Edmonton currently ranks 22nd in the league in goals conceded with 127, a full 44 markers more than the league leading Boston Bruins.
"I think we've been hammering on some details to our game," Woodcroft said. "I think we mentioned how the league kind of tightens up at different intervals. We're in the post-Christmas phase and I think the teams that are going to make moves in terms of trying to work their way up the standings are the ones that have a conscience about them on the defensive side of the puck."
"We believe we can score enough," he added. "We know that we have some special people, but for us, we think where our confidence comes from, where our success lies is in how well and how hard we're prepared to defend. It's been positive to see those type of numbers, but it's something that you have to commit to every day. It's not something that you just do intermittently."

MCLEOD MOVING PUCKS

One reason for the Oilers better defensive track record has been the return of Ryan McLeod, as well as others from injury. The centre was injured back on Nov. 26 against the New York Rangers and missed 13 games before returning on Dec. 23 against the Vancouver Canucks.
McLeod has yet to register a point in the four games since he's rejoined the lineup, however he has lead all Oilers regulars in the scoring chances against per 60 minutes over that stretch. McLeod's raw skating ability allows him to move the puck out of danger in a transition heavy NHL and it's a skill set that is appreciated by his head coach.
"I think he's a great skater -- he transports pucks, he can play in any situation: penalty kill, power play, five-on-five. I think he's returned to our team, but I don't think we've seen the best of Ryan McLeod yet," Woodcroft said. "I think there's more there and certainly as a coaching staff, we have high expectations for him given our history together, and I think high expectations are the best compliment any coach could give a player."
"Yeah, I think I really pride myself on my skating, so it's a big help for me," McLeod added. "I try to use my speed as much as I can. I try to transport the puck so hopefully it's helping."
The 23-year-old is coming off a season where he officially settled into the role of a full-time NHLer, scoring 21 points in 71 games last year. So far, McLeod has picked up eight points in his 25 games in-and-out of the Oilers lineup, but he had recorded three assists against the Rangers prior to getting injured. As he works his way back into the team, the Mississauga, Ontario product hopes to grow into being a key contributor to the Oilers 2023 run.
"It's been my first time being injured, so it's a little bit of adjustment coming back, but I'm playing and settling nice," McLeod said. "I think just getting my confidence back up is the biggest thing. You kind of grip your stick pretty tight when you're just getting back. So hopefully keeping it simple and then making sure plays and my game will grow."
-- Michael Arcuri, EdmontonOilers.com

PREVIEW

OILERS vs. KRAKEN
WATCH: 7:00 p.m. MT; televised on Sportsnet One
Oilers Team Scope
It was a relieving sight for Oil Country to see Leon Draisaitl and Klim Kostin on the ice for Monday's practice at Rogers Place.
Draisaitl took part in the full skate after missing two games with an undisclosed injury and could return to the Oilers lineup on Tuesday night ahead of schedule by his own expectations. "I think it recovered pretty well, pretty quick," he said. "Maybe a little quicker than I thought it would, but I'm happy the way it's feeling."
There was concern for Kostin when the Russian had to be helped off the ice after crashing into the boards in the last few seconds of a 2-1 loss to the Winnipeg Jets on New Year's Eve. But after the initial pain receeded and completing a post-game workout, Kostin confirmed that he felt ready to go.
"I just remember I fell into the boards and extended my knee, so it hurt for a bit, but right now it feels good," he said. "Right after the game, I went for a workout and I felt good. So I told (Head Athletic Therapist T.D. Forss) that I'm ready to play next game."
The Oilers have three games at Rogers Place to begin the new year starting Tuesday against Seattle. Edmonton's 9-10-1 at home this season, and improving their home record is near the top of their resolutions for 2023 after having lost five of their previous six home games.
"That's what we're talking about internally as well as externally," Head Coach Jay Woodcroft said. "Heading into the new year, we want to reward our fan base with more points at home. Now, if I look at the way we played that game last game, I thought especially given the circumstances, I thought we gave ourselves every chance to win. You can't win every game at home, but if you're playing the game the right way, usually the results take care of themselves. We're looking for a better record on home ice, and that starts tomorrow night."

Kraken Team Scope
The new year for the Seattle Kraken started off the right way on Sunday evening with a 4-1 defeat of the New York Islanders at Climate Pledge Arena.
Forward Eeli Tolvanen, claimed off waivers from Nashville on Dec. 12 and playing his first game for Seattle, scored his first goal in Kraken colours on the power play with a one-timer early in the second period.
"It's been a while since I played my last game," Tolvanen said. "Of course, it's nice to get the first goal out of the way in the first game. We've been talking a lot about just getting pucks on net and shooting it right away when we get in the zone ... that's what I did."
After two disappointing losses to Calgary and Edmonton in the first two games of the three-game homestand, Monday's effort was a return to what Head Coach Dave Hakstol considers Seattle's best that's allowed the 2021 expansion side such a strong start to the season. The Kraken are tied for fourth in the Pacific Division with the Oilers, but have three games in hand.
"We got back to it tonight," said Hakstol. "That's the bottom line. From the start, we were ready to check and play with a lot of purpose. Our special teams did a good job. Our goaltender [Martin Jones] made a couple of big saves in the last five minutes when it counted. Those are all the little pieces. Everything mixed in through the 60 minutes was a solid, not spectacular, but a solid 60-minute performance."
Tuesday night sees the Kraken begin a seven-game road trip in Edmonton -- their longest of the 2022-23 season.

By The Numbers
Oilers are 3-1-0 in four meetings all-time vs Kraken outscoring them 20-11... The Kraken have the second largest improvement in points percentage (+.234) from last season to this season... The Oilers are 44-for-137 on the power play this season.... Their 32.1 power-play percentage would be the highest in a single season in NHL history (since PP% was tracked in 1977-78)... The Oilers have 12 comeback wins this season & nine wins when trailing first... The Oilers are outscoring opponents 51-39 in the third period this season... Connor McDavid is two assists shy of reaching 500 career assists... He has played in 525 career games and will become the fifth fastest player to reach 500 career assists in NHL history.... McDavid has 10 points (3G, 7A) in four career games vs. the Kraken... Tyson Barrie has recorded 19 of his 28 points this season on the power play...
The Kraken have lost four straight road games... Seattle scored on the power play goal in their last game on Sunday for just their 2nd power play goal in their last 12 games (2-for-30)... Defenceman Adam Larsson opened the scoring on Sunday vs. the Islanders to extend his point streak to six games, tying the franchise record for a defenceman... Among players with a minimum of 10 games played this season, no player is averaging more points per 60 minutes than Morgan Geekie (3.72)...

Injury Report
OILERS - Oscar Klefbom (shoulder) is on IR; Mike Smith (undisclosed) is on IR; Evander Kane (wrist) is on IR; Ryan Murray (undisclosed) is day-to-day.
KRAKEN - Joonas Donskoi (upper body) is on IR; Chris Dreidger (torn ACL) is on IR.
-- Jamie Umbach, EdmontonOilers.com