Edmonton Oilers center Sam Gagner is due to have surgery on his jaw on Tuesday, an injury caused by reckless stick-play by Vancouver Canucks forward Zack Kassian.

It’s the sort of thing a player like Ben Eager of the Oilers would look to avenge in a subsequent meeting between the teams, and it appears that’s his desire.

Via Mark Spector of Sportsnet, Eager said on Monday about the Canucks:

“We play them a lot down the stretch, and we’re going to go after their skill players also."

So when does Eager pull the Brad May and claim the comments are ‘tongue-in-cheek’: Before or after someone gets Bertuzzi’d?

Meanwhile, the Oilers knuckled up and signed veteran brawler Steve MacIntyre in case they need someone to take care of future Kassian problems.

Well, in theory. Said Kassian upon the signing of MacIntyre: "Perfect. I don't think he can skate, that's the last thing on our mind."

Game on ...