Kapanen returns as Oilers face streaking Ducks Monday night

Second place in the National Hockey League’s Pacific Division is on the line Monday night as the Edmonton Oilers host the streaking Anaheim Ducks.

Edmonton (26-19-8) sits one point ahead of Anaheim (28-21-3) in the standings ahead of Monday night NHL action. The Ducks, who have won seven games in a row heading into Edmonton, have a game in hand. The Vegas Golden Knights, who have played two fewer games than the Oilers in the 2025-26 season so far, sit two points ahead in first place with a 25-14-12 record.

It’s the perfect time for the Oilers to add a player such as Kasperi Kapanen back into the lineup after missing three games with an undisclosed injury.

Oilers head coach Kris Knoblauch said Kapanen’s reliable, effective play is most welcome.

“He’s made a huge difference when he’s been in the lineup,” Knoblauch told reporters after Monday’s morning skate ahead of the 6:30 p.m. MT start versus Anaheim. “Any time he’s not been with us, we’ve always been wanting him in and what he can do for our team. He’s tenacious, he’s hard on the forecheck, he’s skilled and can make some plays, he’s been scoring goals, and he can kill penalties.

“I think we need a little more of that: urgency, speed and being able to make plays.”

Kapanen said he’s been focusing on being consistent this season in the 14 games he’s managed to play. He missed about two-and-a-half months of action after being injured in late October before the recent setback. The 29-year-old winger was quick to credit his oft-linemates Leon Draisaitl and Vasily Podkolzin, with whom he’s shown good chemistry.

“When you play with guys like Leo (Draisaitl) and Podzy (Podkolzin), they do make it easy for you,” Kapanen told media. “For some reason, our chemistry is clicking really well right now, so we have to take advantage of that and keep playing well.”

Kapanen has scored three goals and six assists for nine points this season.

Monday’s game at Rogers Place comes the day after the Ducks, paced by rookie winger Beckett Sennecke’s first NHL hat-trick, beat the Calgary Flames 4-3 in overtime.

The Oilers last played on Saturday, when they beat the visiting Capitals in a 6-5 overtime thriller highlighted by defenceman Evan Bouchard’s six-point night, including a hat-trick, and Connor McDavid’s five-point showing (two goals, three assists), including the winning goal.

Bouchard became the fourth defenceman in NHL history to score three goals and six points in a game, joining Bobby Orr, Tom Bladon and Doug Crossman.

McDavid (32G-58A-90P) leads the NHL scoring race by two points over Nathan MacKinnon of the Colorado Avalanche (38G-50A-88P), his Team Canada teammate in next month’s Winter Olympic Games in Milan-Cortina, Italy.

Samanski to play first NHL game

The Oilers recalled forward Josh Samanski on Monday morning from their American Hockey League affiliate team, the Bakersfield Condors, while sending down winger Ike Howard.

Oilers head coach Kris Knoblauch said after Monday’s morning skate that the 23-year-old Samanski, an undrafted centre who joined the Oilers organization last spring after five pro seasons in Germany, is getting into his first NHL game because he’s proven to be reliable in the AHL.

“Having a little more speed in our lineup, a little more tenaciousness, a little bit of physicality; a guy who can get in on the forecheck with some speed, and he has that,” Knoblauch told media.

Samanski is slated to join Oilers star Leon Draisaitl on the German Olympic team.

The six-foot-two, 195-pound centre said he expects he’ll “bring the same energy” he’s been using in the AHL, where he’s scored seven goals and 21 assists for 28 points in 39 games.

“Obviously, we have great players here, so I’m going to be excited to step onto the ice and bring the energy,” Samanski said.

Projected Oilers lineup

Forward

• Ryan Nugent-Hopkins • Connor McDavid • Zach Hyman
• Vasily Podkolzin • Leon Draisaitl • Kasperi Kapanen
• Jack Roslovic • Josh Samanski • Matt Savoie
• Mattias Janmark • Curtis Lazar • Trent Frederic

Defence

• Mattias Ekholm • Evan Bouchard
• Darnell Nurse • Ty Emberson
• Jake Walman • Spencer Stastney

Goal

• Tristan Jarry • Connor Ingram

Projected Ducks lineup

Forward

• Alex Killorn • Mikael Granlund • Beckett Sennecke
• Jeffrey Viel • Ryan Poehling • Cutter Gauthier
• Chris Kreider • Jansen Harkins • Ryan Strome
• Ross Johnston • Tim Washe • Ian Moore

Defence

• Jackson Lacombe • Jacob Trouba
• Pavel Mintyukov • Drew Helleson
• Olen Zellweger • Radko Gudas

Goal

• Ville Husso • Lukas Dostal