Oilers reveal lines and defence pairs on the first day of training camp
Jay Woodcroft has given us an idea of what the Edmonton Oilers lines may look like on the opening day of the 2023-24 season.
Like all NHL teams, the Oilers training camp kicked off this morning. There is a ton of excitement shared by both the organization and its fanbase, as many believe this may be the year Connor McDavid and company are able to hoist the Stanley Cup.
Overall, their roster is quite similar to what it was a season ago, as general manager Ken Holland didn’t have a ton to work with from a cap perspective this summer. That said, there were a few changes, most notably Connor Brown, who chose to sign in Edmonton on an inexpensive one-year deal to play with his former Eerie Otters teammate, McDavid. To no surprise, the two were placed together on a line this morning.
Also on the top line with McDavid and Brown is Evander Kane, who was excellent playing with the Oilers captain two seasons ago but, when healthy, spent most of his time with Leon Draisaitl in 2022-23. As for Draisaitl, he was in his usual spot on the second line, with Ryan Nugent-Hopkins and Zach Hyman on his wings.
As for the defensive pairings, Mattias Ekholm wasn’t present due to a hip flexor injury. As a result, his usual partner Evan Bouchard was paired alongside Darnell Nurse, while Nurse’s regular partner Cody Ceci was partnered with Brett Kulak. Here is a look at how the forward lines looked this morning:
- Evander Kane – Connor McDavid – Connor Brown
- Ryan Nugent-Hopkins – Leon Draisaitl – Zach Hyman
- Warren Foegele – Lane Pederson – Derek Ryan
- Dylan Holloway – Brandon Sutter – Mattias Janmark
- Adam Erne – Brad Malone – Raphael Lavoie
And the defensive pairs:
- Darnell Nurse – Evan Bouchard
- Brett Kulak – Cody Ceci
- Philip Broberg – Vincent Desharnais
- Markus Niemelainen – Ben Gleason
In the two creases, of course, were Jack Campbell and Stuart Skinner. Despite Skinner taking over the number-one role last season, the expectation is that they will split the net to begin the 2023-24 campaign.
The Oilers will have a few more days to tune up before getting their preseason underway this Sunday versus the Winnipeg Jets. They will play a total of eight exhibition games as they prep for what promises to be a very exciting season.