Over the past decade, one question has constantly followed the Edmonton Oilers. Ever since Connor McDavid and Leon Draisaitl found chemistry together, they have been frequently put on the same line. And for a good reason, they put up incredible numbers together and having two of the best players in the world on the same line immediately becomes a nearly unbeatable line.
But when the Oilers do this, it often completely ruins their depth. Less so now than it did eight years ago, but it still does deplete what would otherwise be the undisputed best centre depth in the league.
The reason this is being brought up is that last week, Oilers Head Coach Kris Knoblauch was speaking with the media and revealed his thoughts on the lines for the upcoming season, in light of Zach Hyman being set to miss the start of the season recovering from his wrist injury. Within those projected lines was McDavid and Draisaitl united once again on the top line.
As usual, this was a controversial decision that brought on plenty of criticism. Once again, the default option is to take the easy way out and stack McDavid and Draisaitl. Knoblach has his reasons to want to line the team up like this. However, it does create problems when trying to develop younger players on the roster or find scoring depth when there is really only one scoring line.
This week, we left it up to Oilers fans to decide if this was the right move. We took to X to ask if McDavid and Draisaitl should be on the same line to start the season.
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Live or die by McDrai
Both of these players can be at their absolute best when they are on the same line. It is more or less how both of them broke out to become the level of superstar that they are. The Oilers know this and routinely take advantage of it when they need a jump start. On the power play. Late in games when they need a goal. It is an amazing thing to be able to reunite this line when in need.
Knoblauch sees the start of this season as a time of need, that is why he wants McDavid and Draisaitl to start on the same line. The Edmonton Oilers have started two seasons in a row as if they are still in the Decade of Darkness. An incredibly slow start that gets everyone worried and questioning the decisions made.
With Hyman’s injury, the star power in the top-six is depleted. And in order to make sure there is some offensive punch from the get-go this season, Knoblauch has determined the best course of action to avoid a slow start for a third consecutive season is to place Draisaitl and McDavid on the top line.
However, just 23% of voters agree that this is the best course of action for the start of the season.
Keep them apart
Most fans agree. McDavid and Draisaitl need to be kept apart at even strength as much as possible. It’s one thing to stack them late in a game when you need a goal. But to start opening night with them together is overkill. The biggest argument for this is the team’s depth.
As Knoblauch noted, with McDavid and Draisaitl on the top line, that leaves Ryan Nugent-Hopkins to centre line two with Adam Henrique or David Tomasek centring the third line. This is not the depth of a Stanley Cup contending team. Nugent-Hopkins is a great complimentary player, but the past two seasons he has had major struggles with running his own line. A top-six centre role where he is likely to be paired with a rookie and a non-play driving winger does not seem like a recipe for success. Henrique, who was an offensive black hole last season, is left to play on the third line, at a speed and level of production that does not make a strong third line. Or Tomasek, who has been impressive and found chemistry with some players already in camp, could be there as well.
If the Oilers split McDavid and Draisaitl up, suddenly the entire forward depth gets pushed down one line and it looks a lot more reasonable. Nugent-Hopkins can centre a third line, with a rookie at his side. His playstyle and level of production are much more suited to this role. Additionally, this pushes Henrique down to centre the fourth line, which also seems more suitable for this stage of his career and helps the Oilers’ forward depth look better.
The wings will struggle with Hyman out. But we also know that McDavid and Draisaitl can carry whoever is on their wing and still put up their own high level of points. It is a situation like this where consolidating the depth may be more detrimental than helpful. The majority of voters, 77%, feel this way about the potential lines to start the season.
It is worth remembering that regardless of what anyone says the lines will be, the Oilers run under a constant line blender. Though Draisaitl may begin the game on the top line with McDavid, chances are they will be split up and running their own lines by the middle of the period anyways.
Photo by Curtis Comeau/Icon Sportswire
