GAME DAY: Nate Schmidt returns as Golden Knights face Edmonton

EDMONTON, Alberta — Golden Knights defenseman Nate Schmidt won’t exactly be easing his way back into the lineup when he returns from a 20-game suspension tonight to face the Oilers and star center Connor McDavid.

“This is like dropping into a 5000-level econ class in college,” Schmidt joked after the team’s morning skate at Rogers Place. “And I’m not talking about midterms. This is final exam time. Good luck.”

Schmidt will start the game paired with Shea Theodore as the Knights (8-11-1) open a three-game road trip. Opening faceoff is scheduled for 5 p.m., and the game will be televised on AT&T SportsNet Rocky Mountain.

Schmidt will look to bring reinforcements to a Knights team that is off to a 3-8 start on the road.

He got some advice from former player and current broadcaster Shane Hnidy about handling what figures to be an emotional start to the game.

“He told me to make sure you keep your first shift to like 15 seconds and then get your butt off the ice,” Schmidt said. “That way you get yourself into the game a little bit. The adrenaline is just going to be pumping so hard. You just have to manage it as much as you can.”

It remains to be seen how quickly coach Gerard Gallant will get Schmidt back involved on all the different special teams units. He led the team in time on ice last season.

“Like every player, that competitive edge takes over,” Schmidt said. “You want it all. You want the minutes. You want to get the toughest matchup. It is a little bit of a late start on things, so you have to make sure you manage yourself. At the same time, I know my training has been good. But nothing can emulate a game, so you can’t really get up to game speed until you actually get in there and see what you’re made of.”

Gallant said Tomas Nosek is questionable for the game. Oscar Lindberg will get the call if Nosek can’t go with the rest of the forward lines

This is the Knights first meeting of the season against the Oilers (9-9-1), who dropped a 4-2 decision against rival Calgary on the road Saturday night and sit two points ahead of the Knights in the Pacific Division with one less game played.

The Knights went 1-2-1 against the Oilers last season, dropping both contests in Edmonton.

Golden Knights projected lineup

Forwards

Jonathan Marchessault-William Karlsson-Reilly Smith

Max Pacioretty-Cody Eakin-Alex Tuch

Oscar Lindberg-Ryan Carpenter-Tomas Hyka

William Carrier-Pierre-Edouard Bellemare-Ryan Reaves

Defensemen

Shea Theodore-Nate Schmidt

Brayden McNabb-Colin Miller

Deryk Engelland-Nick Holden

Goaltender