The Edmonton Oilers are going back to the tried and true formula that is stacking the top line with their elite stars. Coming out of practice on Tuesday, head coach Kris Knoblauch loaded up the Oilers’ number one line, slotting Leon Draisaitl, Connor McDavid, and Zach Hyman together. The line changes are likely meant to spark the offense for a game against the Philadelphia Flyers as the team has struggled in three games, scoring only three goals.
As one used on X.com wrote, “Panic button wasn’t pressed. It’s been smashed with a hammer.”
Loading the top line is a thing the Oilers do when the offense is struggling or non-existent. Unfortunately, coaches in Edmonton tend to go back to the well far too early and far too often, sacrificing the rest of the forwards just to get the top stars going. In a pinch, it tends to work well. Long-term, it’s not ideal.
It’s not that these three don’t need to get going. McDavid and Hyman both have no goals on the season. Draisaitl has one. And, to be fair, when these three aren’t productive, the Oilers struggle. What will be intriguing is how long they stay together and subsequently, how the second line connects.
On paper, these lines make sense. The first line has proven to be effective. The second line has some bite and forechecking ability on it. The hope is that Ryan Nugent-Hopkins can make a play if Vasily Podkolzin and Viktor Arvidsson get him the puck. Jeff Skinner on the third line might not be ideal, but he might be able to find some magic with Adam Henrique.
What Happens If The Top Line Cooks for the Oilers?
It will be interesting to see what happens if this top line of the Oilers puts up points. One the one hand, the Oilers need offense. On the other, if they get the offense they are looking for, the risk becomes keeping them together and weakening all the other lines below them.
Is this a move just to spark these players for one game? Or, if it works, will the Oilers stick with the trio and try to shape the rest of the forward pairings around it?
