Tomkins to Make Long-Awaited Oilers Debut Against Rangers at Madison Square Garden

Matt Tomkins will get the start for the Edmonton Oilers on Sunday night against the New York Rangers at Madison Square Garden, ending a wait of more than two years for his next NHL appearance. Head coach Mike Babcock confirmed the decision after Edmonton's 4-0 win over the New York Islanders on Saturday, a game in which Tristan Jarry recorded his second straight shutout. With the Oilers playing the second night of a back-to-back, the 32-year-old Tomkins steps in for his first NHL game since April 17, 2024, and just the seventh of his career. Tomkins was recalled from AHL Bakersfield under emergency conditions on October 23 after Devon Levi went on injured reserve, with Frederik Andersen also sidelined long-term. He signed a two-year, two-way deal with his hometown club on July 1, 2025, after returning to North America from Sweden, and spent last season in Bakersfield. The assignment is a demanding one: the Rangers, rested after a five-day break, host the NHL's highest-scoring team, and Edmonton arrives with a perfect 6-0-0 road record and a 10-2-2 mark overall. Jarry's back-to-back shutouts have given Edmonton momentum, but Babcock's rotation now hands Tomkins a rare chance to prove he belongs at this level. Puck drop is scheduled for 6 p.m. ET (5 p.m. CT) on Sunday.