COULD IT BE THE MAGIC?

The Edmonton Oilers have one generational talent and about six guys trying to find some chemistry with him. So far this year, coach Todd McLellan has stayed the course on the McDavid line and moved the second and third lines around—tryin’ to get the feeling again. How is it going? 

Connor McDavid parts the sea, he can cut a hot knife with butter, and is in every nightmare NHL defensemen have these days. His line (this is via Corsica.Hockey) is one of the best in the NHL based on possession—and the scoring chance totals are grand, too.

That is just really damned good, in fact the line ranks No. 4 in possession among NHL lines with 50 or more minutes. Ahead of them? Getzlaf—Perry in Anaheim, Nicklas Backstrom line in Washington and the Lee Stempniak line in Carolina. Great company.

The second line Todd McLellan has kept together close to 50 minutes is Nuge with Benoit Pouliot and Zack Kassian. I think most observers will agree the Pouliot-Nuge combination has been a little shy offensively so far this year, and with Kassian most of the numbers are middling.

This line will face tough opposition all year, so if Kassian can’t stay on this line the solution is probably another veteran—disqualifying Jesse Puljujarvi and Anton Slepyshev. 

Leon Draisaitl hasn’t played on a consistent line, although he has been with Patrick Maroon for 67 of his 73 even-strength minutes (this is all via Stats.HockeyAnalysis.com). Jesse Puljujarvi and Anton Slepyshev have been on his wing for more than 20 minutes, but the scoring isn’t happening—and it should.

Leon as the 3C should give Edmonton some good matchups—if Todd McLellan is line matching. NaturalStatTrick gives us a list of 5×5 opponents per player, and Leon does seem to be facing what we might call the complementary group:

The Oilers need a RW for the Nuge line (Kassian has the job) and Leon—who does seem to be getting softer opp—needs to find the net more often with those minutes. The auditions of Jesse Puljujarvi and Anton Slepyshev continue, but with the record 5-1-0, Peter Chiarelli should be casting about in search of more suitable (and established) options in anticipation of filling two needs on the skill lines that clearly exist. If the plan is to turn north and push for the playoffs in Connor McDavid’s second season, then the Oilers need some additional help for the current roster.

That’s what the numbers say so far, the question we have to answer is: How long should the Oilers wait?