Edmonton Oilers load their biggest gun against Colorado Avs but is it the right weapon? Hmm

Article content

Game Day 75: Oilers vs Avs

The Edmonton Oilers have loaded their biggest gun to play the Colorado Avalanche, but is it the right strategy?

Article content

This in from Daniel Nugent-Bownman of The Athletic, the Oilers expected line combos for tonight’s game, which indicates coach Kris Knoblauch will play all his top scorers, Connor McDavid, Leon Draisaitl and Zach Hyman, on the same line.

Article content

Draisaitl-McDavid-Hyman
Henrique-RNH-Foegele
Kane-McLeod-Perry
Janmark-Ryan-Brown
Carrick

Ekholm-Bouchard
Nurse-Ceci
Kulak-Desharnais
Stecher

Skinner
Pickard

My take

1. I am more of a fan of playing Connor McDavid and Leon Draisaitl together this year than I’ve been in the past, mainly because their line with Zach Hyman has had major success, 25 goals for and nine against in 266 minutes of even strength play, for a 74 Goals For Percentage (GF%). That is outstanding output.

I’m also not sold on Draisaitl getting the job done defensively as a centre in the playoffs. It may well be the bet idea to team him up with McDavid and let him go to town in role with less defensive responsibility than the crucial centre position. It’s also the case that against the ferocious wall of zone defences the Oilers will face in the playoffs that the team will need it’s three top attackers on the same line if it hopes to score enough goals at even strength. No other weapon will be sufficient to breach the wall consistently.

2. That said, Draisaitl has done well as a two-way centre on a line with Warren Foegele and Ryan McLeod this year. In 144 minutes, they have 12 goals for, just four against, for a crackling 75 GF%. That’s astonishing results, especially for a group that gets a lot of defensive zone faceoffs.

Article content

Article content

It also means that if the Oilers want to load it up, they can go with the Drai-Foeg-McL group, but also play the McDavid, Hyman and Ryan Nugent-Hopkins line, which has a 63 GF% this year, 34 goals for and 20 against, which is also an outstanding result. Is this not the best way to maximize results for the team? It looks like it might well be.

3. Of course, the Oilers may prefer to have Ryan McLeod as the third line centre, as opposed to playing on Draisaitl’s wing. McLeod is a fast player who is responsible defensively. If that’s the case, the Oilers could go still go with the McDavid-Hyman-RNH trio as the top line, then send out Draisaitl with Adam Henrique and Warren Foegele. In limited minutes, just 38 at 5-on-5, that line has three goals for and just one against, a 75 GF%. This would free up McLeod to play on a third line with Connor Brown and Evander Kane, or with Kane and Perry, as the Oilers will ice tonight.

McLeod with Kane and Perry has yet to produce much, zero goals and three against in 44 minutes, but they have solid shot shares in the 60 per cent range, so there’s hope they will become an outscoring line as well.

Article content

4. Right now Edmonton is still experimenting. Perhaps a second line of Henrique, RNH and Foegele will work out. It’s worth testing it to see. That trio has only been on the ice for five minutes together this year, so it’s an unknown quantity.

Staples on politics

Guess what happens if you flood the market with cheap and co-called safer opioids? Not good

At the Cult of Hockey

STAPLES: Darnell Nurse struggling with second hardest challenge in the NHL

LEAVINS: Player grades vs Stars

Article content