In a surprising move aimed at injecting life into their offense, the Edmonton Oilers made bold adjustments to their forward lines during Monday’s intense practice session. The surprise isn’t so much that the move was made, but that it was made after two games, the last of which saw the Oilers play much better as a forward group.
The team’s decision to shake up their top line, previously composed of Connor McDavid, Connor Brown, and Evander Kane, demonstrated their eagerness to find a winning formula early in the season. It also demonstrates the feeling among the coaching staff that getting too far down early is problematic, so the best thing might be to go with what you know — the duo of McDavid and Draisaitl.
The NHL’s Two Top Stars Back Together
The most notable change at practice was the reunion of the dynamic duo, McDavid and Leon Draisaitl. The Oilers had Kane completing the revamped trio, moving Connor Brown down to the third line (with Dylan Holloway and Ryan McLeod). It’s a formula the Oilers know will work when it comes to getting scoring from the top of the lineup, but it’s potentially an issue for the depth on the roster.
In other words, this solves one issue but potentially creates others.
The motivation behind these changes stemmed from the Oilers’ lackluster start to the season, marked by a lack of 5×5 goals, something Kane pointed out when he spoke to the media on Monday. Now down 0-2 after two consecutive losses to the Canucks, there’s a palpable sense of urgency to turn the team’s fortunes around. This strategic shift is meant to turn the team’s momentum.
Is It Too Early for the Oilers to Be Going Back to The Dynamic Duo?
Traditionally, the combination of Draisaitl and McDavid had been strategically deployed during critical moments, such as power plays or pivotal stages in a game, when the team needed a quick goal boost. Ideally, it’s a pairing you don’t want out together unless you absolutely have to, or in specific in-game situations. That the Oilers are potentially running it back ahead of game three should be concerning.
Every time the Oilers stack this top line, they make the other lines less effective. The team’s two most formidable offensive weapons are on a single line, making the team easier for opponents to defend against. So too, players like Zach Hyman and Brown are playing with lesser linemates, and the likelihood they break out offensively decreases with each game they aren’t on the ice with two leagues’ two top players.
The question becomes, are the Oilers more effective when the top line is producing at a high clip and the other lines less so? Or, is it better to have a more well-rounded attack?
Are the Oilers Already Worried About Connor Brown?
One of the most concerning aspects of these changes was the separation of Connor Brown and McDavid after just two games. Brown, was signed by the Oilers in the hopes that he would be a low-cost offensive weapon that would mesh perfectly with his old linemate. Unfortunately, he has been largely invisible over the first two games.
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This swift abandonment of a potentially promising duo hints at the team’s growing desperation to find a winning combination, even if it means disrupting established partnerships and hoping these two eventually find their stride and get cooking. It takes time for new linemates to figure each other out, and that is especially true for Brown, who missed most of last season due to injury.
Hopefully, This Is a Short-Term Fix
If putting McDavid with Draisaitl back together is little more than a confidence booster so that the team can find and regain their rhythm and form, then this shouldn’t be terribly concerning. The struggles faced by Kane and Hyman did warrant possibly moving things around. But, if this is long-term, that’s not good news.
It suggests the Oilers are already pushing the panic button and veering away from their initial offseason game plan.
