Oilers reveal Zach Hyman's status and starting goalie for tonight vs. Blue Jackets
The Oilers have revealed that Zach Hyman will not play tonight, likely meaning his debut will be Saturday, and Calvin Pickard will get the start in goal.
Zach Hyman's season debut will have to wait once again. He skated this morning alongside Isaac Howard and Ty Emberson, which signals that Alec Regula and David Tomasek will draw back into the lineup instead.
What led to Calvin Pickard getting the start tonight
Calvin Pickard gets the start in goal for Edmonton, after Stuart Skinner started the previous two games, while Jet Greaves will make his third straight start for Columbus.
Both teams are entering tonight's matchup playing their third game in four nights, setting the stage for a grinding, high-tempo battle, so there should be no excuses that one team is more tired than the other.
The wrist injury that Hyman suffered in Game 4 of last season's Western Conference Final has kept him out since May 27th, and while he's been practicing with the team and looks ready, the timeline keeps getting longer and longer.
At first, his expected return was November 1st. Then it was within a week. Then it was maybe tonight, and now they're saying it's Saturday.
Why Zach Hyman's return date keeps getting pushed out
The constant delays tell you something about how careful the Oilers are being with his return to action. They need him healthy for the long haul, and do not want to rush him back before he's ready.
But those delays also highlight just how badly this team has been missing him since opening night, as they have yet to find any consistency in their games. Puck drop is set for tonight at 5:30 PM MT.
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NOVEMBRE 13 | 95 ANSWERS Oilers reveal Zach Hyman's status and starting goalie for tonight vs. Blue Jackets Who will win tonight's game? | ||
| Oilers | 42 | 44.2 % |
| Blue Jackets | 53 | 55.8 % |
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