The time away was longer than he would’ve liked, but Connor McDavid believes there’s optimism and energy in the Edmonton Oilers ranks during the captains’ skates.

However, on the ice, questions about line combinations and the depth chart carried the day.

With the theory that McDavid and Leon Draisaitl will spend more time playing together this season, they were partnered together in line rushes with Vasily Podkolzin at the Downtown Community Arena. But that isn’t ironclad proof that’s how they’ll start the season, or whether that’ll stick.

Unprompted, McDavid did add this: “I think this year we would like a little bit more stability, if that’s possible. But that being said, we understand that it’s always kind of a moving target throughout the year, and different situations require different lineups and different formations. But that’s a coaching question.” 

Whether that’s subtle shade towards his former coach Kris Knoblauch or not, the Oilers did try many line combinations in 2025-26. Sometimes looking to find a spark in-game, other times lines changing directly after wins.

Despite the line juggling, McDavid didn’t let off his team for last year’s performance. Whether they took things for granted or were complacent, he said, they couldn’t get the regular season engine out of neutral.

Perhaps more time for lines to marinate is the way to go.

“I think we’ve asked for that for a long time is some consistency throughout the lines and building chemistry,” continued McDavid. “It’s not easy just to jump around from spot to spot, guys switching positions, guys playing up the lineup, down the lineup. It’s hard mentally.

Tentative combinations could also include Ryan Nugent-Hopkins at centre with Isaac Howard on the left and Zach Hyman on the right. A third line anchored by the returning Jason Dickinson and Kasperi Kapanen and Colton Dach on the flanks. Then a fourth line with Trent Frederic at centre and Formenton with Mathieu Joseph on either wing.

But new coach Mike Babcock wasn’t overseeing this skate, as he revealed on Tuesday’s edition of Oilers Now with Bob Stauffer that he was elk hunting in South Dakota. As training camp starts in less than a week, he’ll start to install his own ideas.

McDavid, along with Draisaitl and Zach Hyman, have gone to bat for the hire in several interviews this summer. But so far, vibes are high.