The dynamic duo is back together.
Connor McDavid and Leon Draisaitl skated on the same line at the Edmonton Oilers’ morning skate Tuesday. The superstar forwards will lead their team in evening National Hockey League (NHL) action starting at 8 p.m. MT against the visiting Philadelphia Flyers.
McDavid and Draisaitl, who will skate alongside winger Zach Hyman, had centred their own lines over the first three games – all losses on home ice – to start the 2024-25 NHL season, the most-recent a 4-1 defeat on Sunday to the arch-rival Calgary Flames.
The team has scored just three goals this season, with three players — McDavid (two assists), Jeff Skinner (one goal, one assist) and Mattias Ekholm (two assists) — leading the statistical charges with two points each. Three others have one point each, including Draisaitl with one goal so far.
Oilers head coach Kris Knoblauch said putting his top two scorers on the same line and making adjustments throughout the forward lines is an attempt to spur the offence.
“Right now, for any skilled player or any player in particular, when you get that first goal or assist, it makes you feel much better,” Knoblauch told media Tuesday morning, adding he thinks his team generated sufficient scoring chances the first two games but didn’t Sunday against Calgary.
“Hopefully, they can play their best, playing with our best players.”
Over their NHL careers, all with Edmonton, McDavid and Draisaitl have played on an even-strength line at times, generally to give the Oilers a boost offensively.
With Draisaitl moving to the top line, Ryan Nugent-Hopkins is slated to centre the second unit between wingers Viktor Arvidsson and Vasily Podkolzin, who moves up from the fourth line.
Mattias Janmark slides down from the third line to the fourth to replace Podkolzin, while Jeff Skinner – who was moved up to the first unit from the second on Sunday – will play left wing on the third unit alongside centre Adam Henrique and right-wing Connor Brown.
“We all want to score, (but) it’s just sometimes the puck doesn’t bounce your way, the puck doesn’t want to go in, and sometimes, you’re not creating those certain looks for yourself,” Draisaitl said after the morning skate.
“I think we can all dial it in a little bit in front of the net (and) create some more looks, which gives us more opportunities.”
On defence, Ty Emberson is scheduled to return to the Oilers’ lineup after being a healthy scratch for Sunday’s game. The 24-year-old blueliner, acquired from the San Jose Sharks in an August trade that sent veteran defenceman Cody Ceci the other way, will play on the team’s third defensive pairing with Brett Kulak.
Calgary Flames players celebrate a goal against the host Edmonton Oilers on Oct. 13, 2024. (Jason Franson/The Canadian Press)On the second pairing, Troy Stecher will join Darnell Nurse, who had been playing alongside recent free-agent addition Travis Dermott.
Dermott will sit out the game against the Flyers.
The top pairing of Evan Bouchard and Mattias Ekholm stays intact.
Knoblauch said the shuffling of defencemen is an effort to find and build chemistry between partners.
“I’m not sure what the answer is going to be,” he said. “Hopefully something clicks and we can move forward.”
Oilers’ projected lineup
Forward
- Leon Draisaitl • Connor McDavid • Zach Hyman
- Vasily Podkolzin • Ryan Nugent-Hopkins • Viktor Arvidsson
- Jeff Skinner • Adam Henrique • Connor Brown
- Mattias Janmark • Derek Ryan • Corey Perry
Defence
- Mattias Ekholm • Evan Bouchard
- Darnell Nurse • Troy Stecher
- Brett Kulak • Ty Emberson
Goal
- Stuart Skinner • Calvin Pickard