On Monday night, the Edmonton Oilers will finally get a closer look at what is expected to be their second line this season. A group consisting of Leon Draisaitl, Viktor Arvidsson, and Jeff Skinner, the trio has yet to play a pre-season game together, but that changes as the Oilers take on the Vancouver Canucks at Rogers Place.
Mark Spector of Sportsnet writes, “Connor McDavid will center Corey Perry and Vasily Podkolzin tonight, while the Skinner-Draisaitl-Arvidsson line will finally debut. Darnell Nurse “on schedule” to play preseason games, tho won’t play tonight, per Knoblauch. Suspect S.Skinner starts, Rodrigue backs up.”
Daniel Nugent-Bowman of The Athletic adds, “No confirmation on the Oilers lineup for tonight vs. VAN. Here’s the best guess: Podkolzin-McDavid-Perry Skinner-Draisaitl-Arvidsson Janmark-Henrique-Brown Caggiula-Hamblin-Pederson Kulak-Brown Dermott-Stecher Gleason-Emberson Skinner Rodrigue.”
The lineup also suggests that the Oilers are trying out three players who are all competing for a spot on the Oilers blue line. Travis Dermott and Troy Stecher will get a look, and Josh Brown plays top minutes with Brett Kulak.
Edmonton will also play what appears to be their third line in Adam Henrique, Connor Brown, and Mattias Janmark.
The Second Line Needs to Show Early Chemistry
For years, the Oilers have been looking for wingers who can play with Draisaitl and keep him on the second line. The team is best deployed when they have two strong attacking lines, with McDavid centering the top unit and Draisaitl the second. But, the Oilers have failed to find consistent wingers for Draisaitl, and coaches tend to go back to the well of putting McDavid and Draisaitl together in 5-v-5 situations.
The additions of Arvidsson and Skinner were meant to fix that issue. Both have a history of producing, with Skinner a particularly good scorer. Arvidsson is known as being dogged on the puck and getting it back. Skinner is known to have great finishing skills. And, of course, Draisaitl has been consistently voted the best passer in the NHL by his fellow NHL players and analysts.
The combination, on paper, is ideal. But, the Oilers have yet to see what these three can do outside of practice.
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