<a href="https://oilersnation.com/2025/09/17/nhl-insider-suggests-connor-mcdavid-contract-decision-could-come-during-season-edmonton-oilers/">Connor McDavid</a> had a pair of fresh faces on his wings as the <a href="http://oilersnation.com/combinations">Edmonton Oilers</a> hit the Rogers Place ice Thursday morning: David Tomasek and Andrew Mangiapane.

Both players joined the Oilers as free agents earlier this year, with <a href="https://oilersnation.com/2025/09/08/david-tomasek-discusses-signing-with-oilers-first-impressions-edmonton/">Tomasek</a> being signed to a one-year, $1.2-million contract out of Europe, while Mangiapane joined the team in free agency on a two-year, $3.6-milllion deal.
And while <a href="https://oilersnation.com/2025/09/08/monday-mailbag-best-fit-andrew-mangiapane-edmonton-oilers-lineup/">Mangiapane</a> was expected to get a look alongside McDavid as training camp and the pre-season gets underway, Tomasek lining up alongside the captain is a surprise. With <a href="https://oilersnation.com/2025/08/30/ill-do-everything-i-can-left-off-4-nations-face-off-zach-hyman-motivated-to-make-canadian-olympic-team/">Zach Hyman</a> absent from the skate as he continues to rehabilitate from his wrist injury suffered in last year&#8217;s playoffs, Tomasek is likely there as a placeholder.
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<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-width="550" data-dnt="true">
Group one: Mangiapane-McDavid-Tomášek⁰Henrique-RNH- Savioe⁰Jones-Philp-Lazar Rem Pitlick-Marjala-Griffith⁰Lewandowski-Grubbe- Petrov
Ekholm-Bouchard⁰Stillman-Stecher⁰Leppanen-Regula⁰Akey
Skinner ⁰Pickard⁰ Hyman skating on his own as he continues to rehab.
&mdash; Jason Gregor (@JasonGregor) <a href="https://twitter.com/JasonGregor/status/1968709511390109725?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">September 18, 2025</a></blockquote>
<script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>
The second line saw Ryan Nugent-Hopkins centring Adam Henrique and Matt Savoie, an interesting move that could highlight the Oilers&#8217; desire to run the longest-tenured Oiler up the middle. On the third line was three players competing for a spot on the fourth line: Max Jones, Noah Philp and Curtis Lazar.
The fourth and fifth lines, meanwhile, featured players destined for the American Hockey League and in the case of David Lewandowski, a return to junior hockey.
Edmonton&#8217;s blue line for the first group saw Mattias Ekholm and Evan Bouchard on the top pairing, AHL&#8217;er Riley Stillman and Troy Stecher on the second pairing, free agent signing Arto Leppanen and Alec Regula on the third, with 2023 second round pick Beau Akey as an extra. Akey, 20, is set to turn pro this season and will likely start the year with the AHL&#8217;s Bakersfield Condors.
Stuart Skinner, who has come into training camp weighting 25 lbs. lighter than he did last year, and Calvin Pickard were the two goaltenders.
The Oilers kick off their pre-season Sunday with a split-squad game against the Calgary Flames.
This article will be updated as further groups skate on Thursday.
<hr />
Zach Laing is Oilersnation’s associate editor, senior columnist, and The Nation Network’s news director. He also makes up one-half of the <a href="https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLRSWOpthKmdtmFOKQDd7TQdTU2KSKXYvX">DFO DFS Report</a>. He can be followed on X at <a href="http://www.x.com/zjlaing">@zjlaing</a>, or reached by email at zach.laing@bettercollective.com.
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<a href="https://oilersnation.com/2025/09/17/nhl-insider-suggests-connor-mcdavid-contract-decision-could-come-during-season-edmonton-oilers/">Connor McDavid</a> had a pair of fresh faces on his wings as the <a href="http://oilersnation.com/combinations">Edmonton Oilers</a> hit the Rogers Place ice Thursday morning: David Tomasek and Andrew Mangiapane.



Both players joined the Oilers as free agents earlier this year, with <a href="https://oilersnation.com/2025/09/08/david-tomasek-discusses-signing-with-oilers-first-impressions-edmonton/">Tomasek</a> being signed to a one-year, $1.2-million contract out of Europe, while Mangiapane joined the team in free agency on a two-year, $3.6-milllion deal.

And while <a href="https://oilersnation.com/2025/09/08/monday-mailbag-best-fit-andrew-mangiapane-edmonton-oilers-lineup/">Mangiapane</a> was expected to get a look alongside McDavid as training camp and the pre-season gets underway, Tomasek lining up alongside the captain is a surprise. With <a href="https://oilersnation.com/2025/08/30/ill-do-everything-i-can-left-off-4-nations-face-off-zach-hyman-motivated-to-make-canadian-olympic-team/">Zach Hyman</a> absent from the skate as he continues to rehabilitate from his wrist injury suffered in last year's playoffs, Tomasek is likely there as a placeholder.
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https://twitter.com/jasongregor/status/1968709511390109725?s=46

The second line saw Ryan Nugent-Hopkins centring Adam Henrique and Matt Savoie, an interesting move that could highlight the Oilers' desire to run the longest-tenured Oiler up the middle. On the third line was three players competing for a spot on the fourth line: Max Jones, Noah Philp and Curtis Lazar.

The fourth and fifth lines, meanwhile, featured players destined for the American Hockey League and in the case of David Lewandowski, a return to junior hockey.

Edmonton's blue line for the first group saw Mattias Ekholm and Evan Bouchard on the top pairing, AHL'er Riley Stillman and Troy Stecher on the second pairing, free agent signing Arto Leppanen and Alec Regula on the third, with 2023 second round pick Beau Akey as an extra. Akey, 20, is set to turn pro this season and will likely start the year with the AHL's Bakersfield Condors.

Stuart Skinner, who has come into training camp weighting 25 lbs. lighter than he did last year, and Calvin Pickard were the two goaltenders.

The Oilers kick off their pre-season Sunday with a split-squad game against the Calgary Flames.

This article will be updated as further groups skate on Thursday.

<hr />

Zach Laing is Oilersnation’s associate editor, senior columnist, and The Nation Network’s news director. He also makes up one-half of the <a href="https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLRSWOpthKmdtmFOKQDd7TQdTU2KSKXYvX">DFO DFS Report</a>. He can be followed on X at <a href="http://www.x.com/zjlaing">@zjlaing</a>, or reached by email at zach.laing@bettercollective.com.

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