Oilers Should Go Nuclear With Draisaitl & McDavid on the Same Line vs Stars

Playing Connor McDavid and Leon Draisaitl on the same line could be a great idea. While it might not be sustainable over a long series, playing them together could work. They’ve been centring their own lines at practice leading up to Game 1, so that’s likely how they will start. But if Knoblauch wants to go nuclear, it would work against the Stars, especially considering this Oilers squad is better than last season’s.

Oilers Have Depth

For the first time in a while, the Oilers have depth up front, which allows flexibility with the line combinations. Knoblauch can play the dynamic duo together at 5-on-5 depending on the situation. Usually, when McDavid and Draisaitl are thrown together, it’s either at the end of a penalty kill or when they are down in the third period. Previously, they have been used as a desperation tactic because the rest of the forward group was underperforming, which forced a shake-up. However, the forward group has been firing on all cylinders and has developed chemistry. So, this tactic could be used strategically rather than desperately.

In Round 1, Edmonton utilized a second line of Evander Kane, Ryan Nugent-Hopkins, and Zach Hyman when Knoblauch decided to go nuclear, and it worked. That trio was extremely effective. They were physical, controlled the puck down low with their cycle game, and chipped in on the scoresheet. Adam Henrique also stepped up his game recently alongside Connor Brown on the third line. Kane and Brown have four goals, Hyman, Henrique, and Nugent-Hopkins have three goals, and even Mattias Janmark chipped in with two goals through 11 games. With that production, Knoblauch has the luxury of playing his superstars together without jeopardizing the rest of the lineup. The team has options because of how well the depth is playing.

Oilers Must Fight Fire With Fire

Right now, only the Stars’ top players are producing. So, the Oilers can safely pit firepower against firepower and hope their depth outplays the Stars’ depth, which they have all playoffs. The duo of McDavid and Draisaitl are better than the duo of Mikko Rantanen and Roope Hintz, so they should outplay them. Edmonton can win this series if the big guns can shut them down defensively. That’s easier said than done, but the Oilers’ defensive structure is extremely underrated. They can lock it down like they did against Jack Eichel in Games 4 and 5 against the Vegas Golden Knights in Round 2, and must do the same against Dallas’ top players.

With Rantanen on the ice , Dallas has outscored their opponents 11-4, resulting in 73.33 percent of the goal share. However, when he’s not on the ice, they are getting outscored 18-9, only scoring 33.33 percent of the goals. That discrepancy is telling, and the Oilers can exploit that. If McDavid and Draisaitl shut down that line, the Oilers’ depth can outproduce their opponents, as proven throughout these playoffs. Tyler Seguin has two goals, Jamie Benn, Mason Marchment, Sam Steel, and Evgenii Dadonov have only one goal each, and Matt Duchene and Jason Robertson haven’t lit the lamp yet. That’s the Stars’ depth, and they haven’t produced thus far. If that trend continues, Edmonton can load up the big guns and rely on its depth to finish the job.

This idea will be more effective at home when Edmonton has the last change, but it should be explored. Would you play the dynamic duo together, or keep them separated? Keep following The Hockey Writers throughout the postseason.