Oilers Lines vs Lightning Hints Time to Question Coach’s ‘Hunches’

Edmonton Oilers head coach Kris Knoblauch has shown over the duration of the 2024-25 season that his hunches are usually correct. Despite some odd lineup calls and roster choices, he’s been right more often than not. However, some lineup decisions ahead of the Oilers vs. Tampa Bay Lightning matchup and a lack of results have fans calling out the coach.

Specifically, his decision to scratch Jeff Skinner ahead of the team’s crucial matchup against the Tampa Bay Lightning on Tuesday has been criticized.

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Skinner, who has been one of the Oilers’ top-performing wingers since January 1, is inexplicably being benched in favor of Mattias Janmark, a player with far less offensive impact.

Admittedly, Skinner struggled early in the season. However, since the Christmas break, the winger has been a consistent contributor, ranking second on the team in 5-on-5 goals (behind only Leon Draisaitl) and leading all Oilers wingers in goals per 60 minutes.

He has also been one of the team’s more responsible defensive forwards, ranking third in fewest goals allowed per 60 minutes while on the ice. Despite this, Knoblauch has opted to remove him from the lineup while keeping underperforming forwards like Vasily Podkolzin, who has just one assist in his last 10 games, in a top-six role alongside Draisaitl. The Oilers have been awful the last two games, but Skinner isn’t the reason the team struggled.

More Questionable Calls for Oilers vs Lightning

Knoblauch’s intriguing lineup decisions don’t stop with Skinner. In a baffling move, he promoted Viktor Arvidsson to the first line immediately after Arvidsson took a costly penalty in the previous game against Washington. Fans are up in arms about the fact that Arvidsson appears to be getting rewarded, while Skinner—who actually scored in that same game—sits in the press box.

Bob Stauffer also confirmed that the coach is putting Troy Stecher in the lineup for John Klingberg. While this might be rest-related, the Oilers are only two games back from a long break, and Klingberg has been solid. Edmonton needs to know what they have in this defenseman, so sitting him makes little sense.

The reasoning behind Knoblauch’s choices is unclear. Is this trade related? Is Knoblauch panicking after two ugly losses? If the Oilers are trying to get Skinner to waive his no-movement clause ahead of the trade deadline, this is pretty low. If they idea is to reward players for strong play, Skinner should be in.

The Oilers are on a three-game losing streak and can’t afford to bench productive players when the team isn’t playing well, and they need to regain some momentum.

It might be time to start wondering if some of those Knoblauc hunches were just flukes.

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