Did Oilers Stumble Upon a Winning Playoff Forumla for McDavid?

Connor McDavid hit the 100-point mark for the eighth time in his NHL career this season, but 2024-25 was anything but typical for the Edmonton Oilers captain. Injuries, suspensions, and inconsistent five-on-five production created issues as the season drew to a close, but down the stretch, McDavid and the Oilers may have stumbled upon a playoff-winning formula.

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Allan Mitchell of The Athletic looked closely at the numbers this season when it comes to McDavid’s linemates. For much of the season, he skated alongside Zach Hyman and Ryan Nugent-Hopkins. While the line was solid, the production five-on-five wasn’t great. The Oilers then tried Leon Draisaitl with McDavid and Hyman. The trio was significantly better, producing between 6.50 and 7.91 goals per 60 minutes.

Then injuries happened.

Oilers Put McDavid with Skinner and Brown

To get others going, and when players started to drop like flies, head coach Kris Knoblauch made a surprising change late in the season, slotting Jeff Skinner and Connor Brown as McDavid’s wingers. The early returns were outstanding. The trio played just 44 minutes together but outscored opponents 4-0 and posted a 72 percent expected goal share.

These three closed the season strong, which has led to questions about keeping them together for the playoffs, despite the fact that Draisaitl and Hyman are both expected to return for Game 1. Sticking with the McDavid-Skinner-Brown line opens up intriguing possibilities.

If this line can work when the action quickens and the physicality ramps up, it gives Edmonton exceptional scoring depth. Draisaitl and Nugent-Hopkins could center lines featuring Hyman, Viktor Arvidsson, Vasily Podkolzin, or even Corey Perry in flexible roles.

Will the Oilers Go Back to the Dynamic Duo?

If this line doesn’t work, the Oilers can always go back to the formula they know works. The Draisaitl-McDavid-Hyman line remains the most explosive, and it’s always going to be a ‘pull in case of emergency lever.

But, if Skinner and Brown continue to click with McDavid, it allows Knoblauch to roll three dangerous lines—something the Oilers haven’t had in past playoff runs.

The biggest question heading into the postseason isn’t whether McDavid can dominate. It’s who should be riding shotgun when the games matter most.

Next: 4 Keys to First-Round Series for the Oilers vs. the Kings