Line Combos: 2023/2024 Line Combos

[thadd]

I'm really curious what the majority of HF feels our line-up is going to look like on opening night.

I'm aware that we might start the season with a shortened bench. Feel free to take that into account if you wish.

Since Skinner and Arvidsson have great experience and offensive upside at 5V5, I can't help but think our top 6 is made up of Hopkins-McDavid-Hyman (I don't think this needs any explanation) and Skinner-Drai-Ardvisson.

If we get a healthy Kane back mid season and if Brown picks up where he left off in the playoffs,, it will really be dynamite for us.

For 3rd line, Holloway-Henrique-Brown makes the most sense to me. Do you send this in as a shut-down line? I feel like this should be a really productive line, but I also feel like this line shouldn't be on the ice for many goals against, either. I feel like Brown showed us in the playoffs that he's back to his old self.

I'm left with

Janmark-Ryan-Perry for a 4th line, which is pretty darn amazing. Perry can jump up onto any line. Ryan is our face-off specialist and Jannmark is going to get a ton of minutes on the PK.

If Kane comes back, we will have a ton of options and I think it will be easy for the coach to shuffle the lines.

For the D pairings,

Elkholm-Bouchard is a no-brainer.

I think we start the season off with Nurse-Ceci, but Broberg takes the spot before the All-Star break.
Kulak-Broberg begin the season as 3rd paring.

This is assuming all goes smoothly, which is very rare and unusual for most teams.

Click to read more...

 

[BIeucheeseWithWings]

Eh, Thadd, were you a frequent poster in the Official Oilers Facebook Group back in the late '00s?

 

[McDoused]

Great questions.

I've been flip flopping a bit but really thats because we have so many options now. It also depends on how healthy guys are. I think a healthy Evander Kane is a game changer, so putting him on LTIR would be best for everyone IMO. I think we start the season with the following:

Skinner-McDavid-Hyman
RNH-Draisaitl-Arvidsson
Janmark-Henrique-Brown
Holloway-Ryan-Lavoie
Perry

I like Holloway alongside Draisaitl but with the additions of both Skinner and Arvidsson, I think he winds up further down the lineup.

I think Hyman is a lock with McDavid, while Arvidsson is a lock with Draisaitl. Nuge and Skinner can be switched around as needed.

Might as well start the 3rd the line together to see if they can keep their chemistry together but as the year goes on I expect them to break those guys up.

I'm not sold on the 4th line as I would like to see Holloway higher in the lineup. I dont think Ryan and Perry are regulars in the lineup. Lavoie may or may not make the team. Ideally we would pick up a 4C on waivers or for cheap.

 

[Spawn]

I think they’ll both start in the top 6 assuming decent training camps.

Beyond that who knows.

Some of it depends on how the bottom 6 goes too.

I’m not sold on Brown or Janmark being real 3rd liners. Also not sold that Henrique wouldn’t be more suited to a top 6 wing spot.

I think McDoused lines are a pretty good starting season guess.

There’s a lot of options though

For example, if we wanted to ensure Holloway got a bit more opportunity:

RNH-McDavid-Hyman
Henrique-Drai-Arvidsson
Skinner-Holloway-Brown
Janmark-Ryan-Perry

 

[thadd]

Eh, Thadd, were you a frequent poster in the Official Oilers Facebook Group back in the late '00s?

Yup. I was on Facebook chatting before I found Hfboards.

 

[jukon]

I think on paper Skinner/McDavid and Drai/Arvidsson are a great match. It will be interesting to see how it plays on the ice.

 

[BIeucheeseWithWings]

Yup. I was on Facebook chatting before I found Hfboards.

NIce. I remember you. I think you gave me a link to a game way back; when it wasn't easy to find links to games.

 

[Oilers88]

I'm really curious what the majority of HF feels our line-up is going to look like on opening night.

I'm aware that we might start the season with a shortened bench. Feel free to take that into account if you wish.

Since Skinner and Arvidsson have great experience and offensive upside at 5V5, I can't help but think our top 6 is made up of Hopkins-McDavid-Hyman (I don't think this needs any explanation) and Skinner-Drai-Ardvisson.

If we get a healthy Kane back mid season and if Brown picks up where he left off in the playoffs,, it will really be dynamite for us.

For 3rd line, Holloway-Henrique-Brown makes the most sense to me. Do you send this in as a shut-down line? I feel like this should be a really productive line, but I also feel like this line shouldn't be on the ice for many goals against, either. I feel like Brown showed us in the playoffs that he's back to his old self.

I'm left with

Janmark-Ryan-Perry for a 4th line, which is pretty darn amazing. Perry can jump up onto any line. Ryan is our face-off specialist and Jannmark is going to get a ton of minutes on the PK.

If Kane comes back, we will have a ton of options and I think it will be easy for the coach to shuffle the lines.

For the D pairings,

Elkholm-Bouchard is a no-brainer.

I think we start the season off with Nurse-Ceci, but Broberg takes the spot before the All-Star break.
Kulak-Broberg begin the season as 3rd paring.

This is assuming all goes smoothly, which is very rare and unusual for most teams.

Janmark-Henrique-Brown might have been our best overall line throughout the finals. Obviously it's a new season and it's probably unlikely they carry that success forward, but I would be surprised if those three don't dress together in game 1.

I think the coaches and the players will want to run that back and see if they can replicate some of what they had going in the playoffs.

Assuming they keep Holloway, day 1 I would run:


Skinner-McDavid-Hyman
RNH-Draisaitl-Arvidsson
Janmark-Henrique-Brown
Holloway-Ryan-Perry

When Kane is healthy, that's where things really get interesting.

 

[ManofSteel55]

Janmark-Henrique-Brown might have been our best overall line throughout the finals. Obviously it's a new season and it's probably unlikely they carry that success forward, but I would be surprised if those three don't dress together in game 1.

I think the coaches and the players will want to run that back and see if they can replicate some of what they had going in the playoffs.

Agreed.

Nuge - McDavid - Hyman
Skinner - Driasaitl - Arvidsson
Janmark - Henrique - Brown
Holloway/Lavoie - Ryan - Perry

With Holloway possibly leaving to an offer sheet, it might actually give us some flexibility to change up the bottom line a bit. Playing Ryan every day isn't something that I feel awesome about. Unfortunately, our Bakersfield cupboards are running a little thin due to trading so many prospects and picks, so I'm not sure how to improve that fourth line realistically in the short term.

The blueline will look similar to how we ended last season, minus Broberg and Desharnais

Ekholm - Bouchard
Nurse - Ceci
Kulak - Stecher
J. Brown

I wouldn't be upset if we tried Stecher with Nurse and moved Ceci with Kulak full time.

 

[Oilers88]

Agreed.

Nuge - McDavid - Hyman
Skinner - Driasaitl - Arvidsson
Janmark - Henrique - Brown
Holloway/Lavoie - Ryan - Perry

With Holloway possibly leaving to an offer sheet, it might actually give us some flexibility to change up the bottom line a bit. Playing Ryan every day isn't something that I feel awesome about. Unfortunately, our Bakersfield cupboards are running a little thin due to trading so many prospects and picks, so I'm not sure how to improve that fourth line realistically in the short term.

The blueline will look similar to how we ended last season, minus Broberg and Desharnais

Ekholm - Bouchard
Nurse - Ceci
Kulak - Stecher
J. Brown

I wouldn't be upset if we tried Stecher with Nurse and moved Ceci with Kulak full time.

There will probably be some trade options available during camp. Between PTOs and young players beating out veterans, it feels like there are always a few options that open up in September (e.g. Lafferty last year). My biggest concern is whether Perry/Ryan can play every day. I would be looking for some cheap 4th line options to split time with them.

Longer term, when Kane is healthy, you might run:

Skinner-McDavid-Hyman
Nuge-Drai-Arvidsson
Kane-Henrique-Savoie
Janmark-Ryan-Brown

With the option of getting a 4C at the deadline. There is a real framework here to run 3 scoring lines come playoff time, which also changes what is needed on the 4th line.

 

[ManofSteel55]

There will probably be some trade options available during camp. Between PTOs and young players beating out veterans, it feels like there are always a few options that open up in September (e.g. Lafferty last year). My biggest concern is whether Perry/Ryan can play every day. I would be looking for some cheap 4th line options to split time with them.

Longer term, when Kane is healthy, you might run:

Skinner-McDavid-Hyman
Nuge-Drai-Arvidsson
Kane-Henrique-Savoie
Janmark-Ryan-Brown

With the option of getting a 4C at the deadline. There is a real framework here to run 3 scoring lines come playoff time, which also changes what is needed on the 4th line.

That's a pretty fair breakdown. I also wouldn't be against tossing Kane in the top six.

Kane - McDavid - Hyman
Nuge - Draisaitl - Savoie
Skinner - Henrique - Arvidsson
Janmark - Ryan - Brown

I would also be interested to see what Robie Jarventie can do, depending on how he looks in training camp of course. Ottawa obviously didn't think he would make the next step, but he was called up in the past, so maybe he's closer than we think.

 

[McBooya42]

Is this a serious poll? No way in hell that either Arvidsson or Skinner AREN'T in the top 6.

 

[Dazed and Confused]

With the offer sheets now in play...

Skinner-McDavid-Hyman
RNH-Drai-Arvidsson
Janmark-Henrique-Brown
Lavoie-Ryan-Perry
Hamblin

Ekholm-Bouchard
Nurse-Stecher
Kulak-Ceci
Brown

Skinner
Pickard


Honestly they're not missing Broberg and Holloway as much as I thought they would. The lost upside in a few years will be the big slap in the face, but it doesn't hurt 2024/25 too much.

I think Stecher's fine enough to hold the fort with Nurse until reinforcements arrive at the TDL, especially as Kulak-Ceci is a pretty strong 3rd pairing that can eat a lot of defensive responsibility.


I'd expect the Oil to toss out more than a few PTO's in the coming days/weeks, plus for them to be active on the waiver wire/trade front at the end of camp. I'd bet against Hamblin and Brown start the year as the next men up.
It'd also be incredibly dumb as they're poor fits and not what the team needs, but my heart is begging for offers to Gagner and Barrie to round off the roster. Though if they can make a Lafferty for a 5th-like trade, I'm not going to miss Holloway that much.


The biggest immediate need I see is a 4th line centre that can slide up if something happens to Henrique. That and better LHD depth, as Gleason, Dineen, and Hoefenmayer don't inspire a ton of confidence if something happens.

 

[fireantz]

I’m okay with Holloway at 2.29. He is the younger cheaper version of Foegele at $2.75. No way Broberg gets $4.58 for one playoff run when it took Bouchard 200 games to get $3.9. Oilers can safely be in contention for a strong playoff without him til the TDL and move assets then to go for a LD upgrade. Remember the goal is the cup this season.

 

[Whoshattenkirkshoes]

With the offer sheets now in play...

Skinner-McDavid-Hyman
RNH-Drai-Arvidsson
Janmark-Henrique-Brown
Lavoie-Ryan-Perry
Hamblin

Ekholm-Bouchard
Nurse-Stecher
Kulak-Ceci
Brown

Skinner
Pickard


Honestly they're not missing Broberg and Holloway as much as I thought they would. The lost upside in a few years will be the big slap in the face, but it doesn't hurt 2024/25 too much.

I think Stecher's fine enough to hold the fort with Nurse until reinforcements arrive at the TDL, especially as Kulak-Ceci is a pretty strong 3rd pairing that can eat a lot of defensive responsibility.


I'd expect the Oil to toss out more than a few PTO's in the coming days/weeks, plus for them to be active on the waiver wire/trade front at the end of camp. I'd bet against Hamblin and Brown start the year as the next men up.
It'd also be incredibly dumb as they're poor fits and not what the team needs, but my heart is begging for offers to Gagner and Barrie to round off the roster. Though if they can make a Lafferty for a 5th-like trade, I'm not going to miss Holloway that much.


The biggest immediate need I see is a 4th line centre that can slide up if something happens to Henrique. That and better LHD depth, as Gleason, Dineen, and Hoefenmayer don't inspire a ton of confidence if something happens.

0 percent chance we lose both players

 

[McShogun99]

RNH-Mcdavid-Hyman
Skinner-Draisaitl-Arvidsson
Janmark-Henrique-Brown
Holloway-Ryan-Perry

 

[Dazed and Confused]

0 percent chance we lose both players

Beyond the suck cost, bringing back either isn't the optimal move.

You could likely move that 2nd for Valimaki out of Utah, and save over 2.6mil for the same level of play (if not better) in 24/25.

And although I like Holloway, the Oil have other cheap wingers knocking at the door and the bigger need in the bottom 6 is another centre. Dylan's skillset isn't that unique and I don't think he's 1.5mil better than Lavoie, especially when that money can be better spent elsewhere.