The Edmonton Oilers are sticking with a questionable forward line consisting of Connor McDavid, Leon Draisaitl, and Trent Frederic, despite a tough outing in their recent 4-1 loss to the Seattle Kraken.
Coach Kris Knoblauch acknowledged the line's poor performance, stating, "Well, if you look at the stat line, it doesn't look very good". The trio was on the ice for two goals against at even strength and another when the Oilers had an empty net. Each player finished the game with a minus-3 rating. In one instance, Frederic failed to clear the puck at the defensive blue line.
Despite the negative outcome, Knoblauch plans to continue deploying the line, hoping they will develop chemistry. Frederic, who signed an eight-year contract extension this summer, is being experimented with on the top line due to Vasily Podkolzin's absence and Zach Hyman's injury. Knoblauch wants to evaluate Frederic alongside McDavid and Draisaitl to see if he can complement them.
Draisaitl seems willing to work with Frederic, expressing a desire to help him become more productive and successful. The question remains whether Frederic can elevate his game to positively impact two elite players. Frederic has twice scored 18 goals in a season, demonstrating his offensive capabilities.
Some hockey analysts are questioning the Oilers' decision to stick with their current goalie duo of Stuart Skinner and Calvin Pickard. While Skinner helped the Oilers reach Game 7 of the Stanley Cup Final last season, he has shown inconsistency, even being benched for two games during the second round against the Vancouver Canucks. Pickard, considered a borderline NHL goalie, spent most of his career in the American Hockey League before returning to the Oilers last season.
Some believe that Skinner is best suited for a tandem role, but Pickard may not be reliable enough to start nearly 50 percent of the games in a full season. This situation has forced the Oilers to rely on Skinner as their primary goalie, despite concerns about his consistency. Some observers suggest the Oilers should consider acquiring a more reliable goalie before the trade deadline to provide stability in net.
Other injury updates include Alexander Kerfoot dealing with a lower-body injury. His status for opening night is unknown. There is no timetable for the return of Varlamov. He is dealing with a lower body injury.
