Janmark in top six? Oilers make more line changes amid losing streak
The Edmonton Oilers are getting creative with their line changes ahead of tonight’s pivotal game against the LA Kings.
Fresh off an embarrassing effort in a 6-3 loss to the Calgary Flames on Saturday, the Oilers now find themselves in a peculiar position. They have lost three straight and their lead on the Kings has evaporated, as the two teams are now tied with 68 points apiece.
The winner of tonight’s game will take sole possession of third place in the Pacific Division and could potentially be just a point back of the Vegas Golden Knights for second place in the division.
With such an important two points on the line, Oilers head coach Kris Knoblauch has once again shuffled his lines. The Athletic’s Daniel Nugent-Bowman reported on the new lines from this morning’s skate at Rogers Place.
Oilers lines at morning skate vs. LAK:
Draisaitl-McDavid-Hyman
Kane-RNH-Janmark
Foegele-McLeod-Perry
Holloway-Ryan-BrownUsual D pairs
Skinner
— Daniel Nugent-Bowman (@DNBsports) February 26, 2024
The Oilers appear to be going back to the well in reuniting Connor McDavid with Leon Draisaitl on the top line. Zach Hyman, who is nearing 40 goals on the season, will ride shotgun with those two.
The major change is coming on the second line with Mattias Janmark making the jump into the top six. The veteran Swede has been one of the more productive bottom-six players on the team of late, scoring three goals in his last four games, and was the combatant in a surprisingly feisty tilt with Flames forward Blake Coleman over the weekend.
He will round out the top of the forward group with Ryan Nugent-Hopkins and Evander Kane.
Moving downwards, the third line will see Warren Foegele reunited with Ryan McLeod and Corey Perry. This trio has spent some time together and has looked decent as a line. Perry and Foegele in particular have been performing well recently. Hopefully, the speedy McLeod can benefit from his new linemates.
Meanwhile, the fourth line remains the same with Dylan Holloway flanking Derek Ryan and the perpetually-struggling Connor Brown.
No changes on the defensive end of the puck and it looks like Stuart Skinner will get the nod between the pipes. The 25-year-old goaltender has hit a bit of a snag of late, posting a .858 save percentage (SV%) in his last six starts. The last time he posted an SV% above .900 was against the Golden Knights on February 6.
We’ll see if he can rebound with some new lines in front of him tonight. Puck drop is set for 7:30 pm MT at Rogers Place.