Very little has gone right for the Edmonton Oilers this season, but at least they’ll get some much needed reinforcements for Tuesday’s game against Florida.
Goaltender Devan Dubnyk will have an opportunity to turn his season around now that he’s recovered from an ankle injury. They’ll also get back 37-year-old forward Ryan Smyth (groin), who is projected to play alongside Nail Yakupov and Sam Gagner.
“We need Smytty in the lineup right now,” Oilers coach Dallas Eakins told the Edmonton Sun. “When things are not going great, you look to experience and leadership.
“The more guys like that we can have in the room, the better. So he will definitely calm the storm and helpfully be able to pick up some of our guys and hopefully give them some confidence.”
Leading the Oilers out of their current rut will be a sizable task. They’ve lost five straight games, dropping their record to 3-10-2 this season. They’re six points behind the next worst team in the Western Conference and tied for 29th in the league overall.