PROJECTED LINEUP: Oilers vs. Flyers

EDMONTON, AB – New year, same lineup.

The Edmonton Oilers held a fully-attended morning skate at Rogers Place before hosting the Philadelphia Flyers on Tuesday with the same lines, defence pairings and starting netminder from their last two victories over the Los Angeles Kings and Anaheim Ducks.

The back-to-back wins in California helped the Oilers complete the sweep of their three-game Pacific Division road trip and push the club's win streak to five games heading into 2024.

Edmonton's second line of Ryan McLeod, Leon Draisaitl and Warren Foegele has been a major driver offensively for the Blue & Orange since they were assembled together during the team's New York road trip before the holiday break.

"Obviously the work ethic, the skill, and they're very smart players as well," Darnell Nurse said about McLeod and Foegele. "And then you put Drai on that line, one of the best players in the world, with two guys that know how to work and get to the right spots on the ice. It's been fun to play with them and I think they just worked and got their opportunity to make the most of their opportunity right now, so it'll be fun to see where they can take it from here."

The trio combined to produce 10 points in Anaheim, with Foegele registering his first career five-point game with two goals and three assists.

"I think a lot of it has to do with confidence and getting the trust of my teammates and my coaches," Foegele said. "I think when I first came here, it was a struggle and I found that over the last year, it's kind of been going uphill and I'm just trying to make the most of it every day."

Nurse has picked up two assists in two of his last three games and has looked like a renewed blueliner alongside Cody Ceci under the leadership of Assistant Coach Paul Coffey, contributing offensively with some stellar plays that begins by building out from the defensive zone.

"I think first and foremost, it starts with the defending and trying to do the best that we can to limit chances and keep the puck out of our net," he said. "I think that's my focus, and from there, just using my feet and finding ways to create offense that qay and kind of just getting back to the fundamentals. 

"Coff's been huge for us on the back end, just going out there and making plays and it's been great to be rewarded for making some. But at the same time, there's still a lot of work to do and lot of hockey to be played, so I'm looking forward to just continuing to build off some of the things that have gone well lately. "

Stuart Skinner was back in the starter's net and looks set to make his 25th start of the season after Calvin Pickard stepped into the crease against Anaheim on New Year's Eve and backstopped the Oilers with 28 saves in their 7-2 victory.

Forwards Sam Gagner and Dylan Holloway were full participants at practice, but both won't be in the lineup against the Flyers as they aim for a weekend return on Saturday against the Ottawa Senators on home ice.

"Neither one are going to play tonight, but we expect them to be ready for the weekend," Head Coach Kris Knoblauch said.

View the Oilers projected lineup vs. Philadelphia below:

Nugent-Hopkins - McDavid - Hyman
McLeod - Draisaitl - Foegele
Kane - Ryan - Janmark
Erne - Hamblin - Brown

Nurse - Ceci
Ekholm - Bouchard
Kulak - Desharnais

Skinner
Pickard