PROJECTED LINEUP: Oilers at Wild

ST. PAUL, MN – Here are the Edmonton Oilers projected lines for Thursday night's meeting with the Minnesota Wild at Xcel Energy Center.

Newly-acquired defenceman Alec Regula has joined the Oilers in Minnesota following his claim off waivers from the Boston Bruins on Wednesday, but he didn't skate with the team during their pre-game morning skate and won't dress vs. the Wild tonight.

"Just spending time with him and getting to know him a little bit," Head Coach Kris Knoblauch said. "Also, we've got a game to play. I think when we get home and we're practicing in our building and have a lot more time, you get to know that player a little bit more, go over the systems and have those conversations."

The former teammate of Evan Bouchard with the OHL's London Knights in 2017-18 is excited about his opportunity with the Oilers and the chance to join such a veteran locker room, hoping to get the chance soon on Edmonton's blue line to build on his 22 career games of NHL experience.

"Just the guys they have in that room," Regula said. "I think you can just tell right away with the culture that there's definitely something special going on here, and it's very serious. You can tell right away that they have one goal in mind, and they're all kind of working together on that, so it's definitely something special to be a part of."

"I think just finding my game first would be great and kind of getting my feet wet. There's definitely a little bit of a ways to go there. I think I can help the team by moving the puck and getting it into the hands of some of the special players they have here so they can make a lot of plays. I think that's the focus."

Oilers TV's Paige Martin reported that goaltender Calvin Pickard was in the starter's net for the Oilers, paving the way for the 32-year-old to make his first start since Dec. 5 in a win over the Columbus Blue Jackets.

Coach Knoblauch later confirmed Pickard's start tonight as the only change to Edmonton's lineup from their 2-1 win over the Lightning on Tuesday at Rogers Place.

Pickard has won his last two starts and is 6-3-0 with a 2.56 GAA and .892 save percentage this season.

View the Oilers Projected Lineup vs. Minnesota below:

Nugent-Hopkins - McDavid - Hyman
Podkolzin - Draisaitl - Kapanen
Skinner - Henrique - Janmark
Perry - Ryan - Brown

Ekholm - Bouchard
Nurse - Stecher
Kulak - Emberson

Pickard
Skinner

Extras: Travis Dermott, Alec Regula