Puck drop is scheduled for 4:00 p.m. ET
Venue: SAP Center at San Jose, San Jose, California
TV: NBCSCA, SNW, SN1 (ESPN+ in many markets)
This is the first meeting of the 2026-27 season between Pacific Division rivals. Both teams have started strong, with Edmonton riding a three-game win streak and San Jose looking to build on a solid early record at home.
Projected Lineups / Current Rosters
Oilers forwards
Vasily Podkolzin – Connor McDavid – Leon Draisaitl
Filip Hallander – Jason Dickinson – Kasperi Kapanen
Alex Formenton – Owen Michaels – Mathieu Joseph
Max Jones – Josh Samanski – Isaac Howard Oilers defense
Mattias Ekholm – Evan Bouchard
Ryan Shea – Connor Murphy
Jake Walman – Ty Emberson Goaltenders: Tristan Jarry / Devon Levi (Jarry projected/confirmed in some models). Scratched (projected): Shakir Mukhamadullin, Trent Frederic.
Sharks forwards
Mason Marchment – Will Smith – Igor Chernyshov
Ivar Stenberg – Alexander Wennberg – Kiefer Sherwood
Collin Graf – Michael Misa – Tyler Toffoli
Barclay Goodrow – Zack Ostapchuk – Ty Dellandrea Sharks defense
Darnell Nurse – Michael Kesselring
Sam Dickinson – Jacob Trouba
Dmitri Orlov – Luca Cagnoni Goaltenders: Yaroslav Askarov / Alex Nedeljkovic (Askarov projected as more likely). Scratched (projected): Adam Gaudette, Nolan Allan.
Injury / Status Reports
Oilers:
Zach Hyman (LW, undisclosed) – out (expected mid-October; skated Friday but unlikely).
Ryan Nugent-Hopkins (C, lower body) – out / IR.
Frederik Andersen (G, knee) – long-term out (possibly December).
Additional: Mattias Janmark, Alec Regula (LTIR), Matthew Savoie (LTIR), Colton Dach, others on IR/non-roster.
Filip Hallander (recently acquired) skated and could debut.
Sharks:
Macklin Celebrini (C, lower body) – day-to-day / game-time decision (practiced Friday; missed previous two games).
Kiefer Sherwood (upper body) – day-to-day / possible.
Adam Gaudette (upper body) – trending toward availability / IR status.
Others: Alex Barre-Boulet, Quentin Musty, Cam Lund, etc., on IR or longer-term.
Recent Team Forms
Oilers (3-0-1): Explosive offense. Results: L 5-6 OT vs. VAN, W 9-7 at VAN, W 3-1 vs. SEA, W 5-2 at ANA. They lead or rank near the top in goals for (~5.5 GF/G early) with McDavid (12 points: 3G-9A) and Bouchard (6 goals through four games) dominating. Power play strong (~25%). Defense and goaltending have been more vulnerable (~4.0 GA/G). Road record 2-0-0.
Sharks (3-1-0): Competitive early, with three of four games decided in overtime. Results: W 4-3 OT vs. FLA, W 5-4 OT vs. LAK, L 0-5 at DAL, W 3-2 OT at STL. Roughly 3.0 GF/G and 3.5 GA/G. Strong home start (2-0-0). Celebrini’s absence has been felt offensively, but depth pieces (Chernyshov, Smith, Nurse) have contributed. Special teams mixed.
Key Player Matchups
Connor McDavid / Leon Draisaitl / Vasily Podkolzin vs. Sharks defense (Nurse-Kesselring or Dickinson-Trouba): McDavid is on a multi-point tear; Draisaitl has been distributing at a high rate. San Jose’s blue line (including former Oiler Darnell Nurse) will be tested heavily.
Evan Bouchard vs. Sharks forwards: Bouchard’s historic early goal-scoring form from the back end adds another offensive layer for Edmonton.
Macklin Celebrini (if healthy) / Will Smith / Igor Chernyshov vs. Oilers defense: Celebrini’s potential return is a major swing factor for San Jose’s attack against Edmonton’s high-event style.
Goaltending: Jarry/Levi for Edmonton (early numbers mixed) vs. Askarov/Nedeljkovic. Both teams have shown vulnerability in net at times.
Special teams and transition: Edmonton’s elite skill and PP against San Jose’s structure; Nurse facing his former team adds an extra edge.
Series History
Edmonton has dominated recent meetings (roughly 9-1 in the last 10, including strong results in 2025-26). Overall all-time edge belongs to the Oilers (approximately 79-63-12-4). Recent games have often been high-scoring, with Edmonton frequently pulling away. Last meeting: Oilers 5-2 at Sharks (April 8, 2026).
Betting Trends
Both teams play up-tempo, high-event hockey early, supporting the elevated total. Edmonton’s road offense and recent form make them the clear favorite despite San Jose’s home ice and potential Celebrini return.
Game Odds
Edmonton Oilers – 155
San Jose Sharks 6.5
Odds Courtesy of Sports Odds Direct as of Friday, October 9, 2026
