Oilers make major line changes and it involves McDavid, Draisaitl
The Edmonton Oilers have made some wholesale line changes ahead of tonight’s matchup against the Philadelphia Flyers.
As the team searches for their first win of the season following a pair of embarrassing back-to-back losses over the weekend, Oilers head coach Kris Knoblauch has brought out the blender for his forward lines.
Changes start at the very top as the Oilers will reunite Leon Draisaitl and Connor McDavid on the top line alongside Zach Hyman. This is the first time this season that Draisaitl and McDavid will start on the same line.
Knoblauch described the reasoning for loading up the top line this morning.
“Just so that they’re all feeling it, have the puck and are making plays,” Knoblauch explained. “When you get that first goal, assist, it makes you feel much better… Hopefully, they can play their best playing with our best players.”
"Offensively he's had his chances, but also gives us a little more physical play. We need a little more of that & he's been providing that."
Head Coach Kris Knoblauch on Vasily Podkolzin moving up to the #Oilers second line. @Enterprise | #LetsGoOilers pic.twitter.com/4FjA1vTxEY
— Edmonton Oilers (@EdmontonOilers) October 15, 2024
Vasily Podkolzin has continued to march up the Oilers lineup and onto the second line. This comes after he jumped up to the third line against the Calgary Flames on Monday. Despite not yet getting on the scoresheet this season, he’ll get a chance on a line with Ryan Nugent-Hopkins and Viktor Arvidsson.
Knoblauch likes the physical game that the 23-year-old Russian has brought.
“I think he’s played really well,” Knoblauch told reporters. “He’s done a lot of good things offensively, he’s had chances, but also gives us a little more physical play, we need a little more of that.
“Gives him an opportunity to play, moving up the lineup. He’s gonna see his ice time increase a little bit, but it’s not going to be drastic.”
Jeff Skinner has been bumped from the top line down to the third line just a day after scoring his first as an Oiler. He will skate alongside Adam Henrique and Connor Brown and hopefully give that line a bit of a scoring touch. The fourth line remains untouched with Mattias Janmark holding it down with Corey Perry and Derek Ryan.
Major shuffle in #Oilers forward group this morning:
Draisaitl-McDavid-Hyman
Podkolzin-RNH-Arvidsson
Skinner-Henrique-Brown
Janmark-Ryan-Perry— Preston Hodgkinson (@NHLHodgkinson) October 15, 2024
On the backend, there remains a bit of confusion about who Darnell Nurse’s regular defensive partner will be. Knoblauch had Mattias Ekholm and Evan Bouchard skating as the top pair, with Brett Kulak and Ty Emberson as the presumptive third pairing.
Nurse, on the other hand, was taking reps with both Troy Stecher and Travis Dermott. Stecher will get the nod tonight, while Dermott will come out after playing in that spot for the last two games.
“Dermott, the previous two games, has done well and I think there’ll be some rotation there,” Knoblauch said. “Not sure what the answer is going to be [with Nurse’s long-term partner] we’re obviously hoping something clicks and we can move forward.”
Stuart Skinner will look to rebound in the starter’s net for Edmonton when the puck drops at 8:15 pm MT on Sportsnet.