Projected Lines for the Oilers Revealed?

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Ryan Hall
July 26, 2023 (11:08)

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With the summer halfway over and hockey fans eagerly looking towards September and October for their dose of hockey for the next 8 to 10 months, some teams have finalized their changes and now have a more defined view of their roster for the upcoming season.

Of course, this outlook could still change due to unexpected trades or impressive performances during training camp, which might lead to some players claiming a spot on the lineup.

Nevertheless, it's always enjoyable to speculate about who will be in the starting lineup for the new season.

According to the Daily Hive, Colton Pankiw has provided a rundown of who he believes will cut the Oilers' lineup this year. With just two contracts remaining for Ryan McLeod and Evan Bouchard to be sorted out, the Oilers' lineup will see considerable changes with the departures of Klim Kostin and Kailer Yamamoto.

Forward Lines:
� Zach Hyman � Connor McDavid � Connor Brown
� Ryan Nugent-Hopkins � Leon Draisaitl � Evander Kane
� Dylan Holloway � Ryan McLeod � Warren Foegele
� Mattias Janmark � Lane Pederson � Derek Ryan
� Extras: Drake Caggiula, Raphael Lavoie

Judging from these forward lines, it is expected that Jay Woodcroft will try starting Connor Brown on the top line to see if the chemistry he had with Connor McDavid in the past can be reignited.

Having Zach Hyman and Brown flanking McDavid will undoubtedly give him the space he needs to score more goals. However, the question remains, can Connor Brown maintain a good pace of scoring?

Defensive Pairings:
� Darnell Nurse � Cody Ceci
� Mattias Ekholm � Evan Bouchard
� Brett Kulak � Vincent Desharnais
� Extras: Philip Broberg

The defensive pairings will depend on whether Bouchard will be retained or possibly traded, or if an offer sheet comes into play. Looking at their defensive core, it appears somewhat thin, and the team will need to assess whether Philip Broberg can become a regular this year.

Vincent Desharnais also remains a question mark, as his performance took a significant dive during the playoffs last year. Holland and Woodcroft may consider looking at the Condors for options to call up, especially if a player shows exceptional progress during training camp.

Goalies:
� Stuart Skinner � Jack Campbell

Finally, the biggest question mark in my opinion lies in the goaltending department. Can Stuart Skinner replicate his success from last year? And can Jack Campbell fulfill the expectations Ken Holland had for him as a goaltender? Skinner will likely perform well this year, but there's also a sense that Campbell may be at a crossroads with the Oilers if his season doesn't go as planned.

It should be an enjoyable season once again, and hopefully, the Oilers can find themselves competing in the Third round or even making it to the Stanley Cup finals.