The Oilers have 12 forwards available and won’t have to make any roster moves, meaning centre Derek Ryan will come back into the lineup for the first time since Jan.11 against the Blackhawks to replace McDavid – likely on the fourth line with Adam Henrique the likely candidate to move into a top-six role.
Ryan brings a lot of tangibles that the coaching staff likes as a right-shot centre who's good in the faceoff dot and can kill penalties, adding another capable killer to its shorthanded group that went 4-for-4 on Thursday against Winnipeg and is now 18-for-18 over its last six games.
Prior to being recalled from the Bakersfield Condors on Tuesday, Ryan had registered three goals and five assists in 13 AHL games after picking up a goal and four helpers in 33 NHL games with the Oilers this season – including an assist against the Kraken on Jan. 9 in his second-last game before being placed on waivers.
"We're very confident and happy with our three pairs that we do have for forwards, and I think they're rolling and they've got a nice rhythm there," Knoblauch said. "The one benefit that Derek would provide is a face-off guy on the right side, and we've got more options on the left side than we do on the right side."
Goaltender Stuart Skinner is healthy after being lifted by the concussion spotter following a collision, leaving Calvin Pickard to play the rest of regulation plus overtime, where he was beaten under the right arm by Kyle Connor to give the Winnipeg the extra point and end Edmonton’s three-game win streak in the process.
Defenceman John Klingberg has also been cleared to play and could draw in should the Oilers coaching staff decide to change up its six defencemen with eight blueliners currently on the roster.
The Oilers have defeated the Kraken twice this season by a 4-2 scoreline and have won the last eight matchups between the two teams. After meeting this Saturday, they'll wrap up the season series in less than a week on Mar. 27 at Climate Pledge Arena.
