DONE DEAL: Edmonton Oilers Lands $3.17m Extraordinary Forward In No Time- Perfect Addition

Edmonton Oilers’ Line Combinations: What to Expect in 2024-25

As the offseason drama slows the Edmonton Oilers 2024-25 roster will have quite a new look come October.

As the offer sheet drama comes to an end, the Edmonton Oilers will potentially have new faces on the roster. Coping with the loss of two young talents, the Oilers made some waves in the hockey world, picking up two young less expensive players to fill the holes left. Despite the drama created, many are excited about these new additions. Adding these potential teammates to the players signed in free agency, the 2024-25 Oilers could have a slightly new feel.

The Oilers have had quite an intense offseason. Looking offensively, they are expected to continue to run the top line of Ryan Nugent-Hopkins, Connor McDavid, and Zach Hyman. But that’s where the familiarity ends. Rounding out the projected top six, a second line consisting of Jeff Skinner, Leon Draisaitl, and Viktor Arvidsson is expected. Draisaitl faces the challenges of two new wingers on his side.

As for the bottom six, much of it is still up in the air. Due to the fact forward, Evander Kane is rumored to undergo surgery, it’s not clear yet if he’ll be worked into the plans. It’s expected that the surgery would force him onto LTIR for a considerable amount of time. If accurate, the bottom six might be a mix of Vasily Podkolzin, Adam Henrique, and Corey Perry. Finishing the offensive side of things, Mattias Janmark, Derek Ryan, and Connor Brown are the expected fourth line. One of these names may be demoted to make salary cap room if necessary

Another wrench — but a potentially positive one — in the projected bottom six is Matthew Savoie. He is a young prospect the Oilers picked up over the offseason that many fans want on the opening night roster. The Alberta-born center has only played one game in the NHL. Despite that fact, many believe Savoie could eventually replace Ryan as the fourth center.

What Will the Oilers’ Blue Line Look Like?

As for the back end, the losses of Cody Ceci, Vincent Desharnais, and Phillip Broberg complicate a few things.

Luckily, the top pairing of Mattias Ekholm and Evan Bouchard is expected to remain together. They were great last season and another year of the two working together should only improve their production.

Similarly, barring an upgrade before the opening of the regular season, Brett Kulak and Darnell Nurse are the projected second pairing. Many fans are excited that Nurse and Ceci will no longer be a pairing, but Kulak’s ability to step up in a top-four role will be tested.

As for the final pairing, there are a couple of options. Some predict a Josh Brown and Ty Emberson pairing. That said, Troy Stecher is another defenseman in the Oilers system who could be paired with Emberson. Additionally, with the extra cap space created over the last week, the Oilers have an opportunity to get a midseason defensive upgrade.

Even with all the new additions and changes to the Oilers’ roster, the projected lineups continue to suggest strong Cup-contesting abilities. Adding to the little flexibility the Oilers had financially, the Oilers’ mission for redemption is still within their sights. As the days remaining in this offseason dwindle down, the excitement to see these new line combinations in action grows.