Blackhawks Face Off Against Oilers: A Red vs Black Showdown
Chicago begins its final road trip of the season with a stop in Edmonton on Thursday night. The Blackhawks face the Oilers in a red-vs-black showdown at Rogers Place.
Where the teams stand
Edmonton arrives with momentum. The Oilers have won four straight and are 9-4-1 in their last 14 games.
The Pacific Division race remains unsettled. Anaheim leads with 87 points, Edmonton has 85, and Vegas sits at 82. All three teams have played 75 games.
Playoff positioning details
Edmonton has 29 regulation wins. Anaheim has 24 and Vegas 25. Those extra regulation victories give the Oilers an edge.
Key Oilers updates
Leon Draisaitl has been out since mid-March with a knee injury. He traveled to Germany for medical care. Team reports expect him back by the playoffs or shortly after.
Connor McDavid leads the league in assists with 82. He also has 125 points this season. Other top contributors include Ryan Nugent-Hopkins and Zach Hyman.
- Ryan Nugent-Hopkins: 53 points in 65 games.
- Zach Hyman: 51 points in 56 games (game-time decision after missing practice).
- Evan Bouchard: 86 points in 75 games.
Tristan Jarry will start in goal Thursday night. Edmonton added Jason Dickinson and Connor Murphy at the trade deadline. They will face their former Blackhawks teammates for the first time.
Lines at Edmonton practice
- Podkolzin – McDavid – Savoie
- Dach – RNH – Roslovic
- Kapanen – Dickinson – Frederic
- Jones – Henrique – Lazar
- Defense pairs include Ekholm–Bouchard and Nurse–Murphy
Blackhawks outlook
Chicago is not chasing playoffs. The team continues to give NHL minutes to a very young roster.
Anton Frondell, the 2025 No. 3 overall pick, has generated optimism after a strong debut. Chicago has lost four straight and six of seven.
Practice lines and rotations
- Greene – Bedard – Lardis
- Bertuzzi – Frondell – Mikheyev
- Donato – Nazar – Burakovsky
- Teräväinen – Boisvert – Slaggert (with Mangiapane rotating in)
- Lafferty and Toninato rotated on the fourth or fifth line.
Tale of the tape
| Stat | Blackhawks | Oilers |
|---|---|---|
| 5-on-5 Corsi For | 45.57% (30th) | 50.08% (14th) |
| 5-on-5 Expected Goals For | 42.30% (32nd) | 51.36% (10th) |
| Goals per Game | 2.56 (31st) | 3.48 (5th) |
| Goals Against per Game | 3.24 (25th) | 3.31 (t-26th) |
| Faceoffs | 46.0% (31st) | 52.6% (6th) |
| Power Play | 17.7% (t-26th) | 30.0% (1st) |
| Penalty Kill | 83.9% (1st) | 77.7% (t-22nd) |
Injury notes and storyline
Zach Hyman missed Wednesday’s practice and is a game-time decision. Colton Dach skated in his place during practice.
Jason Dickinson has said he has helped the Oilers with insight on Chicago’s penalty kill. Connor Murphy joked teammates may not trust his tips.
Broadcast and viewing
When: 8 p.m. CT on Thursday, April 2, 2026. Where: Rogers Place, Edmonton.
TV: CHSN. Webstream: ESPN+. Radio: WGN 720. Filmogaz.com will cover postgame notes and analysis.
