Oilers Make Big Line Change Ahead of Game vs. Golden Knights

Coming out of the All-Star break and with the Edmonton Oilers winners of 16 in a row, one might think this isn’t the time to make big roster changes or drastically juggle the lines. But, according to reports heading into Tuesday’s matchup with the Vegas Golden Knights, that’s exactly what head coach Kris Knoblauch is doing.

In a strategic move to keep the momentum going and ensure balance throughout the lineup against a formidable opponent, it looks like the Oilers are splitting up the dynamic duo of Connor McDavid and Leon Draisaitl.

McDavid and Draisaitl Were Recently Put Together

The Oilers showcased their offensive ability with a triumphant 4-1 victory against the Nashville Predators heading into the break. It was the last of a few games in a row where Knoblauch finally pulled the trigger and put his top two offensive stars on the same line. It wasn’t entirely clear why he paired them up and it seemed to come out of nowhere, but the belief was that he was trying to spark their individual offense. It worked. McDavid had seven points in his last two games. Draisaitl had six points in the same period.

Despite the game not being flawless, Knoblauch commended the team’s performance and highlighted the impactful contributions of his two stars. Both then went into the All-Star weekend attached at the hip. The assumption coming out was probably that they would pick up where they left off.

The New Lines Against Vegas

Despite the recent success of pairing McDavid and Draisaitl, Knoblauch has opted to split them up again. The projected lineup features Ryan Nugent-Hopkins with McDavid and Zach Hyman. Evander Kane is going to be paired with Draisaitl and Warren Foegele. In fairness, both of these combinations have also seen success.

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This move aims to explore the chemistry with other linemates and assess whether a top-six winger addition is necessary before the trade deadline. It might not be the worst idea to see how these line combinations fare again. After all, the team is creeping towards the NHL Trade Deadline and rumors are they might be looking at a top-six winger. It’s best to know if they need to spend the assets to acquire one. If the current top six is good enough, GM Ken Holland may not have to go swinging for the fences.

At the same time, a lot is riding on this game. The Oilers have five games in hand on the Golden Knights so two points would be huge. They’ve also got numerous streaks on the line that could be broken with a loss. It’s interesting timing to make the switch.

No other lineup changes are being made as the depth players remain the same, the defense pairings stay the course, and Stuart Skinner gets the start in goal.