Projecting Edmonton Oilers forward lines after Ike Howard trade
The Edmonton Oilers are going to look quite a bit different going into the 2025-26 NHL season.
Not only did they lose players like Corey Perry, Connor Brown, Jeff Skinner, and Viktor Arvidsson, but they also added several new players into the fold. Next season’s edition of the team will be noticeably younger, with players like Ike Howard and Matt Savoie expected to become full-time NHL players in the Oilers’ top six.
That, along with the addition of Andrew Mangiapane in free agency and overseas signing David Tomasek, has drastically changed how Edmonton’s forward group will look up front. It’ll be up to head coach Kris Knoblauch on how to deploy these new names, and there will be no shortage of options for him to choose from.
Here is a projection of what the Oilers’ lineup could look like with all these new additions.
Line 1:
Ike Howard – Connor McDavid – Zach Hyman
It feels like the Oilers will be experimenting with one of the rookies playing next to Connor McDavid to start next season.
Howard will be the obvious candidate to do that as he brings a creative, offence-first style of play that should gel with one of the league’s best playmakers in Connor McDavid. The reigning Hobey Baker winner excelled at finishing plays at the college level and will be getting fed plenty of scoring opportunities in this spot.
Having Hyman on the right wing to clean up the front of the net and drive the forecheck should be a good complement as well.
Line 2:
Andrew Mangiapane – Leon Draisaitl – Matt SavoieĀ
If there is one thing that Leon Draisaitl likes about his linemates, it’s a strong forecheck and puck recoveries.
It’s one of the reasons why Vasily Podkolzin was a fixture in the top six last season. Luckily, both Andrew Mangiapane and Matt Savoie can do both those things and bring a bit more of a scoring punch.
Savoie looked good with Draisaitl in their limited time together last year, and Mangiapane will get more of an opportunity than he did in Washington while adding a bit of annoyance into the mix.
Line 3:
Trent Frederic – Ryan Nugent-Hopkins – David TomasekĀ
With the kids poised to take up spots in the top six, that will allow the Oilers to play Ryan Nugent-Hopkins at centre. This will create a deadly punch down the middle of the ice, and give RNH more responsibility to help out the depth scoring.
A healthy Trent Frederic will help out with scoring, and we’ll get to see what overseas signing David Tomasek can do with some pretty decent linemates on the third line.
Line 4:
Vasily Podkolzin – Adam Henrique – Kasperi Kapanen
It’s a harsh reality that Vasily Podkolzin goes from the second line last season down to the fourth line next year, but it’s a pretty good fit.
The Russian is an excellent forechecker and will help to retrieve pucks for a savvy centre in Adam Henrique and a speedy forward in Kasperi Kapanen. There is a surprising amount of skill on this line, which should help the Oilers tilt the ice even with the big guns sitting on the bench.
Extras:
Mattias Janmark, Noah Philp, Curtis LazarĀ
Three other forwards will be vying for the fourth-line centre role alongside Henrique. Rumours have swirled this summer that Henrique could be on the way out through a trade, but that has yet to materialize.
Curtis Lazar was brought in as a legit NHL option for that spot and probably has the best chance at cracking the roster out of these three. Mattias Janmark has garnered plenty of love from coaches over the years, but he is the only non-natural centre here, which will put him at a disadvantage.
Finally, Noah Philp has plenty of believers in Edmonton, but he will have to show that he is undoubtedly ready for that next step before he cracks the NHL roster full-time. That being said, Philp will get some NHL games at some point this season.