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The Oilers’ Hopes Rest on Its Two Best Players

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The Oilers’ Hopes Rest on Its Two Best Players

Originally posted on NHL Trade Talk | By Old Prof | Last updated Apr 30, 2026 1:37 PM ET

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Edmonton’s season is basically hanging by a thread here. The Oilers are down 3–2, heading into Anaheim for Game 6. Connor McDavid is clearly not at 100%, and the Oilers need to find just one more win to drag this thing back to a Game 7.

Kris Knoblauch didn’t overthink Game 5. He pushed the big red button, put Leon Draisaitl next to McDavid, and just said, “Figure it out.” And for one night, they did. The result was a 4–1 win. It suddenly looks like the plan again.

For the Oilers, the Plan Is to Get to Game 7

For the Oilers, it’s not complicated hockey; it’s survival hockey. McDavid’s ankle isn’t letting him be McDavid right now, so you adjust. You simplify. You lean on your best two guys and hope the math holds up. Draisaitl can take faceoffs, handle the puck in tougher spots, and basically let Connor float into more dangerous ice instead of grinding through every defensive-zone start like it’s mid-November in a meaningless game. It’s not elegant, but it’s smart.

What Should Oilers Fans Watch for in Game 6?

Line usage is the first thing. Draisaitl staying with McDavid is basically the default now, especially in big moments and on the power play. Knoblauch isn’t treating that as a temporary fix anymore. This is his team’s identity.

You’ll also see McDavid shift a bit more to the wing. That’s not a tactical gimmick, that’s just managing mileage. Fewer defensive-zone faceoffs, fewer puck retrievals deep in his own end. Let him arrive in motion instead of grinding to start every shift.

Can the Oilers Secondary Scoring Step Up?

And then there’s the rest of the group. Guys like Kasperi Kapanen and the rest of the depth scoring group have to chip in. You don’t get to ride two players through a road elimination game and expect it to hold unless someone else sneaks in a goal or two.

Defensively, it matters what Draisaitl is doing, too. If he’s taking more of the centreman’s responsibility low in the zone, that’s one way to protect McDavid from having to do everything. It’s small stuff, but playoff series are built on small stuff.

The Upside for the Oilers

When it works for the Oilers, it works fast. Game 5 was the example. Once those two were together, the ice tilted. Three goals early, tempo in Edmonton’s favour, and Anaheim never really caught up. Two elite playmakers sharing the same shift basically turns every possession into a chance.

And from a long-series perspective, it’s also just smart wear-and-tear management. You’re trying to squeeze one more win out of a banged-up superstar without completely shutting him down. Sliding McDavid to the wing in spots and letting Draisaitl absorb more of the grind keeps the engine running a little longer.

The Risks for the Oilers

The flip side is pretty obvious. If the rest of the lineup doesn’t contribute, Anaheim can just load up against the top duo and make life harder shift by shift. You can’t have two guys doing everything while everyone else watches.

There’s also the defensive trade-off. When your best offensive players are together, someone else is taking tougher minutes behind them. If the support structure cracks — penalty kill, third pairing, depth scoring — it all gets exposed quickly.

The Bottom Line for the Oilers

Game 6 in Anaheim isn’t about reinvention. It’s about repetition. Run the McDavid–Draisaitl pairing again, manage Connor like he’s not fully healthy, and hope the depth group gives you just enough breathing room.

If that holds, you get Game 7 back home, and anything can happen. If it doesn’t, this thing wraps up Thursday, and it won’t be good news for the Oilers’ hopes of another long Stanley Cup run.

This article first appeared on NHL Trade Talk and was syndicated with permission.

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