Scenes From Morning Skate: What isn’t happening tonight?

There isn’t much debate about which game matters most on Tuesday night’s NHL schedule.

The Edmonton Oilers visit the Pittsburgh Penguins at PPG Paints Arena, and what’s set to unfold has everything to do with the convergence of storylines that rarely align like this.

Sidney Crosby sits at 1,721 career points, just three shy of tying Mario Lemieux’s franchise record of 1,723. Lemieux will be in the building to watch. Leon Draisaitl has 999 career points, one away from becoming the fourth active player to reach 1,000. Tristan Jarry returns to face the team that traded him five days ago. Stuart Skinner and Brett Kulak have their work visas approved and are set to be in the lineup.

If there’s something to be gained from all these narratives intersecting in one night, it’s that there’s no shortage of reasons to watch tonights gme.

Crosby chasing Lemieux with Mario watching creates the type of situation that doesn’t happen often. Four points is a lot to ask, but it’s not impossible for a player who’s been doing this for two decades. Draisaitl needs one point. Watching two generational centers separated by a decade, both chasing milestones in the same game, is what Tuesday night offers.

Jarry facing his former team five days after being traded is compelling for obvious reasons. He won a Memorial Cup with the Edmonton Oil Kings in 2014. He chose to build a home outside Edmonton, where he spends summers with his wife and son. The trade brought him back to the city where his hockey career took off, but he still gave “his heart and soul” to Pittsburgh per Jarry.

Coming into this game, Jarry had made 25 saves in his Edmonton debut against Toronto. It doesn’t seem like much pressure for a veteran goalie, but it’s as much as any player faces when going back to face a former team.

Skinner and Kulak will dress for Pittsburgh against Edmonton. Kulak played every single game available to him as an Oiler — 295 regular season, 75 playoff games — helping Edmonton reach back-to-back Stanley Cup Finals. Having him line up against his former teammates should feel meaningful for someone who meant as much to that organization as Kulak did.

“We wish them all the best, just not tonight,” added Oilers head coach Kris Knoblauch post morning skate.

Connor McDavid has to be feeling the best he has since reaching 1,000 points in November. The 28-year-old is at 1,134 points now, playing at his absolute peak. Watching him go head-to-head with Crosby creates the type of must-watch television the league needs more of.

Quinn Hutson (16-12-28) will join Edmonton’s struggling fourth line with Trent Frederic and Curtis Lazar after getting called up from the Bakersfield Condors just yesterday. The late-season signing has been leading the AHL in rookie scoring, 4th among all AHL skaters in scoring, 3rd in goals, and has 25 points in his last 14 games (14 G, 11A).

Pittsburgh is 14-8-9, fighting for a playoff spot. Edmonton is 15-12-6, emerging as the team they hoped they’d be after a rough start to the season. Both need points. Both have something to prove.

It was the schedule that created this opportunity. And it comes from everyone involved—from Crosby chasing Lemieux to Draisaitl chasing 1,000, from Jarry returning to Pittsburgh to former teammates potentially facing each other.

Tuning in is a no-brainer.

Lines and Pairings

RNH – McDavid – Hyman

Podkolzin – Draisaitl – Savoie

Mangiapane – Henrique – Janmark

Frederic – Lazar – Hutson

Ekholm – Bouchard

Nurse – Regula

Stastney – Emberson

Jarry