One step closer to when the games start to matter for fans and most veteran players. For some players this is the time when it does matter. Another game for Anton Lander or Ryan Nugent-Hopkins to impress. Or for someone like Nikolai Khabibulin to prove he still has it. Exhibition games are more of a time for evaluating players than evaluating team. However it is a time for coaches to break out their crystal ball and get a feel for what their team will look like.
The battle of defense is surely one to keep an eye on. Andy Sutton should be getting a look either tonight or Saturday and he'll get a chance to show his wares to Edmonton. Hopefully we get some sort of updates on Whitney, Hemsky, Horcoff and Gagner as they have yet to hit the ice in game action as of yet. As the games start rolling down, the picture will start getting more clear. Tonight will just be another piece of the puzzle as the 2011-2012 version of the Edmonton Oilers will slowly be unveiled.
I will post the lineup and line combos as soon as they become available.
Smyth-NugentHopkins-Eberle
Hall-Gagner-Pitlick
Paajarvi-Horcoff-Omark
Hordichuk-House-Petrell
Smid-Gilbert
Peckham-Petry
Chorney-Plante
Dubnyk
Danis
Game Time - 7 PM MT Rexall Place on TSN.
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