Zach Hyman, Devon Levi Return From Injury Against Canucks

The Oilers are getting two key players back tonight.

Edmonton activated goaltender Devon Levi and winger Zach Hyman off injured reserve Saturday ahead of the 10 p.m. ET game against Vancouver. Goalie Matt Tomkins was sent to AHL Bakersfield to clear the roster spot.

Here’s the news from the NHL’s French-language account:

Hyman missed five games with a neck injury after Andreas Englund hit him into the boards on Oct. 26 against the Red Wings. His head appeared to hit the glass and he needed help getting off the ice. Watch the hit that sent him to injured reserve:

Mike Babcock explained last week how the diagnosis changed once the team got a closer look.

“Originally when you see it, you think maybe it’s a head thing and then you find out it’s a neck thing and that’s a real good thing for you,” Babcock said.

It has been a rough start for the 34-year-old. Hyman missed six games early in the season, returned Oct. 17 against Utah, and has one goal in six appearances. He slots in tonight next to Kasperi Kapanen and Ryan Nugent-Hopkins, replacing Colton Dach in the lineup. He scored 31 goals in 58 games last season.

Levi gets the net after missing the past seven games. The 24-year-old arrived this summer when GM Stan Bowman went looking for goaltending help, and he has a 3.11 GAA and .887 save percentage with six wins in seven starts. His last start came before the injured reserve move two weeks ago.

Tristan Jarry dresses as the backup after missing the previous game with an illness. He has a .942 save percentage and two shutouts in his last four outings, so Levi’s return reopens the question of who starts in Edmonton.

The Canucks are 3-14-1, last in the NHL and riding a four-game losing streak. The Oilers sit at 11-3-3.

Jarry has the better numbers right now, and Levi has the net tonight.