Surprising Oiler Gets Promotion with McDavid and Draisaitl on Same Line

The Edmonton Oilers are opening the 2025-26 season with a familiar yet surprising look: Connor McDavid and Leon Draisaitl back together on the same line. Head coach Kris Knoblauch says the move may sound counterintuitive, even ironic, but it’s actually designed to get more out of the rest of the roster.

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“When they are playing together, you get a lot more out of the rest of the three lines,” Knoblauch explained. “It might sound ironic, but when Connor and Leon are each logging 21 or 22 minutes on separate lines, there isn’t much ice time left for the third and fourth lines. They feel left out. Playing them together keeps everyone engaged and allows those lines to play to their identity.”

The Oilers need more than one line to produce the offense, meaning after line one, names like Ryan Nugent-Hopkins, Matt Savoie, Andrew Mangiapane, and the newly-extended Vasily Podkolzin will have to step up.

Trent Frederic Getting First Look on the Top Line

The biggest question mark is who will replace Zach Hyman while he recovers from injury. Knoblauch revealed that Trent Frederic will get the first crack. That might seem surprising given he’s not the first name you think of as a top-line forward, but Knoblauch has confidence in him.

“Freddie doesn’t get enough appreciation,” Knoblauch said. “He’s strong on the wall, he can break pucks out, and he’s got good hands around the net. Those are the two most important things if you’re going to play with Connor and Leon.”

For Knoblauch, stacking the Oilers’ two superstars isn’t just about overwhelming opponents—it’s about bringing more out of Frederic and unlocking depth throughout the lineup.

Next: Future Planning: Oilers Weigh Timing on 3 Key Extensions