Oilers Test Strong Start Against Wild in Edmonton

The Edmonton Oilers will begin a five-game homestand against the Minnesota Wild at Rogers Place on Tuesday, October 20, with both teams carrying 13 points into an early-season Western Conference test. Edmonton enters at 6-1-1 after beating Utah 6-2, while Minnesota arrives at 6-2-1 following consecutive victories over St. Louis and Columbus.

According to team information published by NHL.com, Edmonton plans to retain the lineup used against Utah, with Devon Levi expected to start in goal. Zach Hyman will make his second appearance since returning from injury, while Ryan Nugent-Hopkins and Jason Dickinson remain unavailable on the short-term injury list.

Connor McDavid leads the NHL with 23 points, including six goals and 17 assists, through eight games, according to The Hockey News. His five-point performance against Utah marked a career-best start through eight games and made him the first player in 31 years to reach 20 points over that span, the outlet reported.

Edmonton has averaged 4.63 goals per game, according to Yahoo Sports Canada. McDavid has also received productive support from Leon Draisaitl and Vasily Podkolzin, while Saturday's victory featured Hyman scoring his first goal of the season after his return from injury.

Minnesota presents a significant offensive challenge of its own. Kirill Kaprizov has scored 10 goals and added five assists in nine games, making him the league's leading goal scorer at the time of the reports. The Wild have won four of their last five games and are preparing for a five-game road trip through the Western Conference.

Kaprizov said he was not dwelling on his early scoring total when asked about reaching 10 goals.

"I don't know. Just doesn't try thinking about it. Just playing, play games, and just feel good," Kaprizov said.

The Minnesota forward has scored seven goals over his last five games, according to The Hockey News. His early production sets up a high-profile meeting with McDavid, whose pace has put him among the NHL's most productive players at the opening of the season.

Kaprizov acknowledged McDavid's recent performance while discussing the upcoming matchup.

"It should be fun," Kaprizov said about Tuesday's matchup. "He's really good. I saw his last game against Utah in game before. He's flying on the ice, and he's a really good player."

He also pointed to Edmonton's supporting cast, including Draisaitl and Podkolzin, as players capable of creating problems for Minnesota. The Wild must contend with a team that has scored heavily while trying to maintain the more structured approach Edmonton displayed against Utah.

Minnesota coach John Hynes described the Oilers as a difficult opponent after his team's 2-1 win over Columbus on Sunday.

"Edmonton's playing really well. They got some obviously great players. McDavid's on fire, but they're a good team," Hynes said.

"They're playing some good hockey as well. So, it's going to be a big challenge for us."

Goaltending could be another decisive factor. Yahoo Sports Canada reported that Minnesota's Jesper Wallstedt had a .922 save percentage and a 1.99 goals-against average, while The New York Times listed Devon Levi at a .898 save percentage and a 2.8 goals-against average for Edmonton. The figures reflect the teams' contrasting early-season statistical profiles.

Minnesota has also converted 32.1 percent of its power plays and killed 89.3 percent of opponent power plays, according to Yahoo Sports Canada. The Wild won all three meetings with Edmonton last season, giving the visitors a recent head-to-head advantage.

Edmonton coach Mike Babcock said he intends to use his lineup according to game situations, including matchups at the faceoff circle. With the Oilers beginning a five-game homestand and Minnesota starting a five-game road trip, the result offers both teams an opportunity to strengthen their positions near the top of the Western Conference standings.

Babcock explained that his plans would depend on how the game develops.

"Well, I like best on best, but I also like the face-off circle," he said. "So we're going to see what happens. I have all these great plans before the game, and usually they're out the window about three shifts in. So we'll just see what happens."

Kaprizov said Minnesota's approach would remain focused on preparation and consistency rather than individual scoring milestones.

"Just need to be ready and have fun and keep playing pretty similar," Kaprizov said.