Dallas has four defencemen out of the lineup because of injury, including their top offensive gun from the blueline, John Klingberg (hand), and two of their top four: Stephen Johns (neck) and Marc Methot (knee). Connor Carrick (foot) is also in the medical room.
They’ve got a surprisingly effective farm hand in Gavin Bayreuther, who is playing more than 20 minutes a game, and Roman Polak in the second pairing. You’ll also see local product and one-time Oilers prospect Taylor Fedun in their bottom pairing.
Watch rising star Miro Heiskanen
This rookie defenceman is going to be a stud. Great skater, moves the puck, defends.
The 19-year-old was the third player taken in the 2017 NHL Draft, stayed another year in Finland to play for IFK Helsinki, and is now on the Stars’ top pairing with Esa Lindell.
The Ottawa Senators wanted Heiskanen in return in any deal for Erik Karlsson, but Dallas said refused.

Edmonton Oilers captain Connor McDavid. David Bloom / Postmedia

Settling Oilers lines
Connor McDavid is being double-shifted by new coach Ken Hitchcockon the top line with Leon Draisaitl and on the fourth with whomever is playing there.
Hitchcock, who was working as an advisor with the Stars before the Oilers hired him, is still looking for a winger to play with McDavid and Draisaitl. Drake Caggiula was fine there, but Hitchcock needed him on a second line with Ryan Nugent-Hopkins.
Well past time to make impression
Ryan Spooner has played five games since coming over in the Ryan Strome trade, and to this point, he’s been barely noticeable.
He got a shot with McDavid and Draisaitl in Los Angeles against the Kings, but unlike Ty Rattie, he didn’t do anything with the opportunity.
In his five Oilers games, he has no points and is -6. He still has just two points on the season. Strome has a goal and an assist in his five Rangers games and is -2.
Chiasson on a real roll
Alex Chiasson has already surpassed the nine goals he scored last season with the Washington Capitals, picking up two against the Kings to give him 10 goals on 24 shots in his 17 Oilers games.
He didn’t dress for the first five games as an extra and had a minor medical problem that knocked him out of another game. He’s twice scored two in a game.
He may get a look with McDavid and Draisaitl against Dallas, his first NHL club. His career high is 13 goals with the Stars in 2013-14.

Edmonton Oilers goalie Mikko Koskinen.

BIG MATCH-UP

Anton Khudobin vs. Mikko Koskinen
The Stars will play backup Khudobin in net, who is the starter for a while because Ben Bishop is injured (muscle strain).
Khudobin, who played for the Boston Bruins last season as Tuukka Rask’s understudy, has a 4-5 record and a pedestrian 3.07 goals-against average and a .905 save percentage.
After Cam Talbot’s game in Los Angeles on Sunday, when he played well but lost his sixth straight start, the Oilers will probably go to Koskinen, who is 5-2-1 with a .914 save percentage and .257 average.

TONIGHT’S PROJECTED LINES

Oilers lineup
Forward
Leon Draisaitl • Connor McDavid• Alex Chiasson
Drake Caggiula• Ryan Nugent-Hopkins• Jesse Puljujarvi
Milan Lucic• Kyle Brodziak• Zack Kassian
Ryan Spooner• Jujhar Khaira • Ty Rattie
Defence
Oscar Klefbom • Adam Larsson
Darnell Nurse • Kris Russell
Kevin Gravel • Matt Benning
Goal
Mikko Koskinen • Cam Talbot

Dallas Stars winger Alexander Radulov (47) celebrates his goal with defenceman John Klingberg (3) from Sweden, and left wing Jamie Benn (14) during NHL action against the Calgary Flames on Oct. 27, 2017. Jeff McIntosh / THE CANADIAN PRESS

Stars lineup