The Edmonton Oilers will have to keep rolling without Zach Hyman and Jake Walman on Tuesday night against the Los Angeles Kings.
Hyman has been out since Edmonton’s season opener, and there was at least some hope he might be ready for this one. Instead, he was skating with Max Jones during Tuesday’s morning skate rather than lining up in a regular spot. Head coach Mike Babcock made it clear that the veteran winger still won’t dress.
“They told me he’s not playing tonight,” Babcock said. “It sounds like it’s day-to-day, it’s really close, but what does that mean?”
Babcock had already sounded optimistic about Hyman’s chances of returning against the Kings, but medical clearance is still the final step.
Walman is out as well, and his absence will stretch to a second straight game after he also missed Saturday’s win over the San Jose Sharks.
With Walman unavailable, Shakir Mukhamadullin is expected to stay with Ty Emberson on the third pair. Edmonton’s back end will still run through Mattias Ekholm and Evan Bouchard.
The morning skate lines also showed the Oilers sticking with a look that included Podkolzin-McDavid-Draisaitl, Hallander-Dickinson-Kapanen, Formenton-Michaels-Joseph, Frederic-Samanski-Howard, Jones-Hyman, Ekholm-Bouchard, Shea-Murphy, Mukhamadullin-Emberson, Walman, Levi, and Jarry.
Even with the injuries, Edmonton has kept finding ways to win. The Oilers are on a four-game winning streak and remain the NHL’s only team without a regulation loss. Devon Levi will start in goal as Edmonton tries to finish off a three-game California road trip sweep.