Oilers change up lines ahead of Game 1 with Henrique likely out
The Edmonton Oilers have swapped up their lines ahead of Game 1 of their second-round series against the Vancouver Canucks tomorrow night.
Edmonton took to the ice for one last practice before flying out to Vancouver, and the lines that head coach Kris Knoblauch ran were a bit different from what the team used in the first round.
Evander Kane was back on the ice after missing the last two practices, but Adam Henrique was nowhere to be seen. Both players have been playing through some sort of injury over the past few weeks, and the assumption was that they would be ready in time for Game 1 against the Canucks.
It looks like Kane will be able to stay in the lineup, playing on the team’s second line with Leon Draisaitl and Ryan Nugent-Hopkins, but Henrique has been declared as “day-to-day” and is less likely to start the series.
With Henrique seemingly out for Game 1, expect these #Oilers lines to start tomorrow:
Janmark-McDavid-Hyman
Kane-Draisaitl-RNH
Holloway-McLeod-Perry
Foegele-Ryan-BrownCarrick also has a chance to replace Ryan at 4C.
— Preston Hodgkinson (@NHLHodgkinson) May 7, 2024
Mattias Janmark has been playing on the top line in place of Henrique during the last two practices. Knoblauch confirmed that the Swede will get some time with Connor McDavid and Zach Hyman tomorrow night but that it could be a position that could see many different looks.
“Janmark will definitely be in there for some shifts, but whoever is playing well, moving up and down,” Knoblauch told reporters this morning. “It’ll be a little more by committee.”
One player who could find himself playing in that spot is Dylan Holloway, who has impressed the coaching staff while playing in a limited role. Knoblauch didn’t rule out the 22-year-old possibly getting a look on the top line.
“Holloway has been playing really well,” Knoblauch added. “He could play some shifts [on the top line].”
With Henrique seemingly coming out of the lineup, it looks like the Oilers will inject Connor Brown into the lineup for the first time all postseason. Brown had struggled all season to be a productive player but finally found some traction in the final stretch.
If he gets into the lineup, he will play on the team’s fourth line beside Warren Foegele and one of Sam Carrick or Derek Ryan.
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