PROJECTED LINEUP: Oilers vs. Ducks

EDMONTON, AB – The Edmonton Oilers will be aiming to respond from last week's 5-3 defeat to the Anaheim Ducks tonight at Rogers Place using the altered forward lines that Head Coach Kris Knoblauch deployed during Thursday's full-team practice.

"I think it's important that the coach understands who your best players are and who's contributing, but also, who's playing well and who's going to complement another player," Knoblauch said. "You make a lot of line decisions throughout a game and throughout the season... It's good to switch things up sometimes."

Friday's pre-game skate was optional, with only Jeff Skinner, Viktor Arvidsson, Vasily Podkolzin, Derek Ryan, Darnell Nurse, Brett Kulak, Ty Emberson, Troy Stecher and Calvin Pickard taking to the ice during a light skate ahead of the first of back-to-back games for the Blue & Orange this weekend.

Following tonight's game, the Oilers will head directly to Seattle to begin a four-game road trip on Saturday against the Kraken before travelling to the East Coast for a meeting with the Boston Bruins on Wednesday.

Knoblauch confirmed following the optional pre-game skate that they'll run with the same lines used during Thursday's practice, where Zach Hyman found himself at left wing on the third line with Mattias Janmark and Kasperi Kapanen in a bid to help spread out the goalscoring on Edmonton's top three lines.

The Oilers bench boss likes the look of the trio and is excited to see what they can do tonight with one of the NHL's top goalscorers in December in Hyman (10 goals in 11 games), the defensively responsible Janmark, and a well-rounded option in Kapanen, who's been a welcomed addition since being picked up off waivers back on Nov. 19 from the St. Louis Blues.

"I think all three of them have been playing well," Knoblauch said. "Janmark's overall game is exceptional. The one thing that may be missing is the goal scoring, but his points-per-60 at five-on-five is among the best on our team. He's doing everything defensively, skates really well, and especially right now, he's good at protecting the puck. He's tremendous defensively and playing really well.

"We'll add a goalscorer to that line in Hyman and we'll see how it goes. As for Kapanen, we've been happy with his game, so we'll see what those three can do."

Janmark alluded during his morning media availability that there'd be no shortage of energy on his line tonight as he moves to the middle between Hyman and Kapanen, while his approach will be a bit different when he takes on the extra responsibility that comes with playing as a centre.

"It's different for sure," he said. "You get into different situations and you have to take a little bit more responsibility in your own zone down low. I'm still kind of getting into it. I haven't played too much. It's been a little back and forth, so I think the more you play it, the easier it gets and it's nothing I haven't done before. It's just a matter of getting put in all those situations a couple of times and then, it'll feel like normal."

No matter where he plays, Janmark is a versatile option for the Oilers who can play up and down the lineup, and the Swedish forward remains focused on his responsibilities at both ends of the ice rather than just focusing on points at this stage of his career.

Janmark has contributed a goal and 13 assists in 37 games this season and his strengths remain his speed, subtle playmaking, and defensive ability.

"At the end of the day, it's not up to me [where I play], so you gotta play where the coach tells you to play and try to make the most of it and do the best you can to give your team the best chance to win," he said. "And right now that's playing centre, so I don't try to think about that much at all.

"Just try to play my game, skate a lot and take good care of the puck and all that."

Ryan Nugent-Hopkins was back on the top line with Connor McDavid and Connor Brown, whose performance over recent games with a five-game point streak (5A) and nine points (3G, 6A) in his last nine games has allowed Knoblauch to remain confident in keeping the winger alongside No. 97 on the first unit.

Stuart Skinner will get the start tonight for the Oilers before Calvin Pickard takes the crease in Seattle on Saturday.

View the Oilers Projected Lineup vs. Anaheim below:

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

Ekholm - Bouchard
Nurse - Stecher
Kulak - Emberson

Skinner
Pickard