As the preparations continue for the second round of the Stanley Cup Playoffs for the Edmonton Oilers, it at least appears as if Head Coach Kris Knoblauch will not screw with a good thing. Read More
As the preparations continue for the second round of the Stanley Cup Playoffs for the Edmonton Oilers, it at least appears as if Head Coach Kris Knoblauch will not screw with a good thing. As evidence of that, the Edmonton Oilers went with these lines and pairings at practice Sunday morning… Edmonton Oilers Lines and
As the preparations continue for the second round of the Stanley Cup Playoffs for the Edmonton Oilers, it at least appears as if Head Coach Kris Knoblauch will not screw with a good thing.
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As evidence of that, the Edmonton Oilers went with these lines and pairings at practice Sunday morning…
Edmonton Oilers Lines and Pairings
Pickard – Skinner
Nurse – Bouchard
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Walman – Klingberg
Kulak – Emberson
Draisaitl – McDavid – Perry
Kane – Nugent-Hopkins – Hyman
Frederic – Henrique – Brown
Podkolzin – Janmark – Arvidsson
…and from the “extras”…
Rodrigue
Skinner/Jones – Ryan – Kapanen
Dineen – Stecher
Kurt’s Take…
-Why mess with a winning lineup? The Oilers hit their stride with this configuration against L.A. It makes sense to stick with it. That said, Kris Knoblauch has frequently practiced one version of his lineup and played the other. So, who really knows?
-With the line of Nugent-Hopkins, Kane and Hyman being so productive against Los Angeles (xGoals% of 76.6 in Round One) it affords Knoblauch the opportunity to stick with McDavid and Draisaitl on the same line. But again, as above, this could change from game-to-game and shift-to-shift. TBA…
-Calvin Pickard has won four straight. At some point Stuart Skinner needs to play again, but makes sense (again) for Pickard to at least get Game One. Impossible to argue that he has not earned it. Oilers broadcaster Bob Stauffer listed Pickard first, this morning. He is closer to the club than most.
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-Some, including me, wondered if Troy Stecher would draw back in. Not yet, at least, it would seem…even though Emberson has seen limited minutes (7:05 TOI in Game Six).
More to come…
The Best-of-Seven series with the Golden Knights begins Tuesday in Vegas.
Now on Bluesky @kurtleavins.bsky.social. Also, find me on Threads @kleavins, Twitter @KurtLeavins, Instagram at LeavinsOnHockey, and Mastodon at KurtLeavins@mstdn.social. This article is not AI generated.
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