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The Oilers have to stop tinkering with their bottom-six
Edmonton Oilers Curtis Lazar
Photo credit: Kevin Ng-Imagn Images
Ryley Delaney
Jan 15, 2026, 20:00 ESTUpdated: Jan 15, 2026, 19:07 EST
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The Edmonton Oilers may have figured out their ideal lines ahead of the 2026 trade deadline.
After Adam Henrique went down with an injury on January 6th, Oilers head coach Kris Knoblauch put together a makeshift third line of Isaac Howard, Jack Roslovic, and Matthew Savoie. In that time, the Oilers have also seemingly figured out which three players for their fourth line work, as Trent Frederic, Mattias Janmark, and Curtis Lazar have found some chemistry.
I’ve already written about the Howard/Roslovic/Savoie line recently. Since the injury to Henrique, they’ve gone on to play three full games together, where they have 76 percent of the expected goal share, while out-shooting teams 16-7, and having more high-danger opportunities than the opposition during five-on-five action, according to Natural Stat Trick.
Knoblauch turned away from the trio over the last two games after a tough one against the Los Angeles Kings on Saturday. In that game, the trio played eight minutes during five-on-five play, and they allowed four shots while taking three of their own, as they had just 34.61 percent of the expect goal share. Unlike the two previous games, the three players didn’t generate a high-danger scoring chance, while giving up three of their own.
Over the last two games, Andrew Mangiapane has spent his time alongside Roslovic and Savoie, and while those two showed chemistry, Mangiapane stuck out like a sore thumb. Thankfully, it seems like the trio will be reunited ahead of Thursday’s game against the New York Islanders. Knoblauch has to stick with them, because while they haven’t scored a goal, it’ll come for them.
The same can be said for their fourth line in recent times, Janmark, Lazar, and Frederic. Those three have been on the ice for 21:16 minutes of action during five-on-five play and have been dominating opposition. They’ve out-shot the other teams 16-6, while owning 78.11 percent of the expected goal share. 
The trio have also had 19 scoring chances while giving up just five, and have nine high-danger opportunities to the opposition’s two when they’re on the ice during five-on-five play, according to Natural Stat Trick.
A big problem for the Oilers this season has been getting Frederic going after signing his eight-year deal. Through 45 games, the 27-year-old has two goals and three points, but he’s been starting to find his game recently alongside Lazar and Janmark.
As for Janmark, he has had an okay season, scoring one goal and seven points in 31 games, the most Mattias Janmark type season. Away from either Lazar or Frederic, the Oilers have 48.14 percent of the expected goal share in over 162 minutes of ice time during five-on-five action with Janmark on the ice.
Lazar in particular has been their bottom-six forward, aside from Roslovic. In 24 games this season, the right-shot centre has three goals and has won 56.2 percent of the faceoff draws he’s taken. He sat out in the Oilers’ last game, a 4-3 overtime loss, as the fourth line of Howard, Frederic, and Janmark played just four minutes and 28 seconds together, owning just 2.50 percent of the expect goal share, yikes.
Here’s another fun fact about Lazar in the Oilers’ lineup. According to Reid Wilkins, the Oilers are 15-7-2 with Lazar in the lineup and 8-9-6 without him.
Individually, these three players have subpar under-the-hood numbers, but together, they’ve found a way to drive the play, giving the Oilers positive results. All the Oilers have to do is stick with these lines for the time being, at least until the results start to go the other way, or they are able to make moves ahead of the Mar. 6 trade deadline.
If this line, and even the third line, can continue to play the way they have over the last week and a half, results will start to come their way as the Oilers look for depth scoring from their bottom-six.
Ryley Delaney is a Nation Network writer for Oilersnation, FlamesNation, and Blue Jays Nation. Follow her on Twitter @Ryley__Delaney.

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