Good morning, everyone, and a happy Monday to all of you. I&#8217;ve got a fresh mailbag ready to go after taking your questions and sending them to the crew for their take on whatever is on your mind. This week, we&#8217;re discussing Darnell Nurse&#8217;s season, Calvin Pickard getting playoff starts, and more. If you’ve got a question you’d like to ask, email it to me at <a class="text-accent" href="mailto:baggedmilk@oilersnation.com" rel="noopener noreferrer">baggedmilk@oilersnation.com</a> or on Twitter at <a class="text-accent" href="https://www.twitter.com/jsbmbaggedmilk" rel="noopener noreferrer">@jsbmbaggedmilk</a>, and I’ll get to you as soon as I can.

<figure id="attachment_170594" aria-describedby="caption-attachment-170594" style="width: 876px" class="wp-caption aligncenter"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" class=" wp-image-170594" src="http://publish.oilersnation.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/02/USATSI_25483413-1-1024x683.jpg" alt="Edmonton Oilers Darnell Nurse" width="876" height="584" srcset="https://publish.oilersnation.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/02/USATSI_25483413-1-1024x683.jpg 1024w, https://publish.oilersnation.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/02/USATSI_25483413-1-300x200.jpg 300w, https://publish.oilersnation.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/02/USATSI_25483413-1-768x512.jpg 768w, https://publish.oilersnation.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/02/USATSI_25483413-1.jpg 1200w" sizes="(max-width: 876px) 100vw, 876px" /><figcaption id="caption-attachment-170594" class="wp-caption-text">Darnell Nurse © Kyle Ross-Imagn Images</figcaption></figure>
1) Brady asks &#8211; What are your thoughts on the play of <a href="https://publish.oilersnation.com/2025/04/06/who-should-oilers-use-as-darnell-nurse-partner/">Darnell Nurse</a> this season? I feel he has not really gotten a lot of recognition but has quietly had a solid season.
Jason Gregor:
He has been their most consistent defenseman all season. He is one of only eight D-men in the NHL who has played 50+ games and averaged 19+ minutes/game at 5&#215;5. His decision-making with and without the puck has been very good, and he and Walman (who will be a pair when Ekholm returns) will be crucial to the Oilers on a deep playoff run.
Tyler Yaremchuk:
I agree with you. Early in the season, he was playing some of his best hockey in years and while maybe he&#8217;s plateaued off a little bit, I still think he&#8217;s had way more good games than bad. I really want to see him paired with Jake Walman for a good run to see if they can develop some chemistry. I think he could be poised to have a very strong post season.
Liam Horrobin:
We are not seeing the eye-popping mistakes this year, which has been fantastic. He&#8217;s using his skillset to his advantage with his athleticism and puck abilities. What proved how good Nurse is this season was when he missed those games. The team felt lost without him. I&#8217;d still love to see him rush the puck more and become an offensive threat, but that&#8217;s just me being picky.
Zach Laing:
You&#8217;re right — quietly, he&#8217;s had a solid season for the team. It&#8217;s felt like he&#8217;s been consistent all season long, and his five-on-five goal share (53.2 percent) and his expected goal share (53.7 percent) are both the third highest marks of his career.
Baggedmilk:
I think Nurse is having one of his best years ever, IMO. I think he&#8217;s making fewer mistakes with the puck, picking his spots to rush up ice, and has quietly been collecting points often down the stretch.
<figure id="attachment_172809" aria-describedby="caption-attachment-172809" style="width: 905px" class="wp-caption aligncenter"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" class=" wp-image-172809" src="http://publish.oilersnation.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/04/USATSI_25857856-1024x835.jpg" alt="Edmonton Oilers Trent Frederic Los Angeles Kings" width="905" height="738" srcset="https://publish.oilersnation.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/04/USATSI_25857856-1024x835.jpg 1024w, https://publish.oilersnation.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/04/USATSI_25857856-300x245.jpg 300w, https://publish.oilersnation.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/04/USATSI_25857856-768x626.jpg 768w, https://publish.oilersnation.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/04/USATSI_25857856-1536x1252.jpg 1536w, https://publish.oilersnation.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/04/USATSI_25857856-2048x1670.jpg 2048w" sizes="(max-width: 905px) 100vw, 905px" /><figcaption id="caption-attachment-172809" class="wp-caption-text">Apr 5, 2025; Los Angeles, California, USA; Edmonton Oilers center Trent Frederic (21) and Los Angeles Kings left wing Kevin Fiala (22) grapple in front of the Los Angeles Kings net during the first quarter at Crypto.com Arena.</figcaption></figure>
2) Clay asks &#8211; Outside of the obvious &#8216;win every game&#8217; do the Oilers have to do over <a href="https://oilersnation.com/schedule">their last six games</a> to lock in home-ice advantage? What are the must-wins for you?
Jason Gregor:
Almost impossible they catch LA. Four points back with six games to go, and LA owns the tiebreakers, so essentially it is five points back. If LA goes 3-3, the Oilers have to go 5-0-1. By the time they meet head-to-head, it likely won’t matter. Oilers just need to be healthy.
Tyler Yaremchuk:
They absolutely have to beat the Kings in their next head to head matchup now. For me, I want to see them continue to crank up the physicality and start to play a little meaner. It&#8217;s time to start treating these games like playoff games. Also, some depth guys need to start scoring. Having a few hot hands in the bottom six heading into the post-season would be awesome.
Liam Horrobin:
That dream may have died after the <a href="https://publish.oilersnation.com/2025/04/05/instant-reaction-undermanned-edmonton-oilers-lose-to-los-angeles-kings/">loss to the Kings on Saturday</a>. However, while home is important, the Oilers are more than capable of beating the Kings in seven games either way. The &#8220;must-win&#8221; games, if there is still a chance, are against San Jose, Anaheim and LA. You can&#8217;t slip up against them.
Zach Laing:
Their biggest concern isn&#8217;t even about their on-ice play right now: it&#8217;s about getting healthy.
Baggedmilk:
Home-ice doesn&#8217;t look like it will happen, so the most important thing is that everyone gets healthy for round one. It&#8217;s not impossible, but definitely looks unlikely.
<figure id="attachment_172813" aria-describedby="caption-attachment-172813" style="width: 1024px" class="wp-caption aligncenter"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" class="size-large wp-image-172813" src="http://publish.oilersnation.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/04/USATSI_25842166-1024x683.jpg" alt="Edmonton OIlers goalie Calvin Pickard" width="1024" height="683" srcset="https://publish.oilersnation.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/04/USATSI_25842166-1024x683.jpg 1024w, https://publish.oilersnation.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/04/USATSI_25842166-300x200.jpg 300w, https://publish.oilersnation.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/04/USATSI_25842166-768x512.jpg 768w, https://publish.oilersnation.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/04/USATSI_25842166-1536x1024.jpg 1536w, https://publish.oilersnation.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/04/USATSI_25842166-2048x1365.jpg 2048w" sizes="(max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px" /><figcaption id="caption-attachment-172813" class="wp-caption-text">Apr 3, 2025; San Jose, California, USA; Edmonton Oilers goaltender Calvin Pickard (30) makes a save against the San Jose Sharks in the third period at SAP Center at San Jose. Mandatory Credit: Eakin Howard-Imagn Images</figcaption></figure>
3) Yves asks &#8211; How likely do you think it would be that Calvin Pickard gets the start for Game 1 of the playoffs? He&#8217;s been playing well down the stretch, whereas <a href="https://publish.oilersnation.com/2025/03/27/stuart-skinner-injury-corey-perry-edmonton-oilers-comeback/">Skinner is still out</a> after getting hit by Rantanen nearly two weeks ago.
Jason Gregor:
It will depend on Skinner’s health. I was told Skinner was on the ice last week, but it was not an intense practice. Skinner will have to get in a few games before playoffs, but if not, Pickard will start.
Tyler Yaremchuk:
It&#8217;s getting closer to 50/50 for me. Every game he finishes with a save percentage above .900 is just strengthening his case. He&#8217;s been very consistent over this stretch with Skinner out and if Stuart were to come back and look a little shaky, I could absolutely see them going with Pickard night one. It&#8217;s still Skinners crease and I would bet on him being the guy, I&#8217;m just saying it&#8217;s getting closer.
Liam Horrobin:
It seems more and more likely in every game. The team sees Skinner as their number one, but huge props to Pickard for forcing himself into the conversation. It&#8217;ll all come down to how Skinner performs when he returns to the crease.
Zach Laing:
I&#8217;m starting to get a bit concerned about Skinner&#8217;s health as it&#8217;s been nearly two weeks and we haven&#8217;t heard anything about where he&#8217;s at in his recovery. Pickard has kept the Oilers in games since he&#8217;s taken over the crease, going 3-2 with a .904 save percentage. I&#8217;m not ready to declare anything one way or another until we find out more about where Skinner&#8217;s at.
Baggedmilk:
I think Pickard will get Game 1 of the playoffs unless Skinner can get a few games in before the end of the season. Concussions can be tricky to recover from, so I can&#8217;t imagine the Oilers will be rushing Stu back any time before he&#8217;s absolutely 100% ready.
<figure id="attachment_172593" aria-describedby="caption-attachment-172593" style="width: 880px" class="wp-caption aligncenter"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" class=" wp-image-172593" src="http://publish.oilersnation.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/04/USATSI_25825758-1024x683.jpg" alt="Edmonton Oilers Darnell Nurse and Calvin Pickard" width="880" height="587" srcset="https://publish.oilersnation.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/04/USATSI_25825758-1024x683.jpg 1024w, https://publish.oilersnation.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/04/USATSI_25825758-300x200.jpg 300w, https://publish.oilersnation.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/04/USATSI_25825758-768x512.jpg 768w, https://publish.oilersnation.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/04/USATSI_25825758-1536x1024.jpg 1536w, https://publish.oilersnation.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/04/USATSI_25825758-2048x1366.jpg 2048w" sizes="(max-width: 880px) 100vw, 880px" /><figcaption id="caption-attachment-172593" class="wp-caption-text">Apr 1, 2025; Las Vegas, Nevada, USA; Edmonton Oilers defenseman Darnell Nurse (25) celebrates with Edmonton Oilers goaltender Calvin Pickard (30) after the Oilers defeat the Vegas Golden Knights at T-Mobile Arena. Mandatory Credit: Stephen R. Sylvanie-Imagn Images</figcaption></figure>
4) Brett asks &#8211; Who are your Top 2 Stanley Cup contenders from each conference? Are there two on either side?
Jason Gregor:
East… Tampa Bay and Washington (easiest path).
West… Dallas and Edmonton. The Oilers&#8217; health is the wildcard.
Tyler Yaremchuk:
I&#8217;ll go Colorado and Edmonton in the West. I love the forward depth that each side has and I think they can overcome their issues (goaltending for Edmonton and defense for Colorado). In the East, I really like both Florida and Tampa Bay this season but I will say&#8230; I got a funny feeling about Toronto this year. Sometimes these runs happen when you least expect them.
Liam Horrobin:
Tampa Bay Lightning in the East, and the Colorado Avalanche in the West. However, any team besides the Minnesota Wild can win the Stanley Cup in the Western Conference. All the teams out West are elite.
Zach Laing:
Great question. Washington out east is an easy one, and I want to say Carolina as a No. 2 there, but the last few playoff runs have been so disappointing for them. In the West, outside of Edmonton, I&#8217;ll go Winnipeg and as a dark horse, St. Louis. The Blues are on quite the run right now.
Baggedmilk:
East: Washington and Carolina
West: Dallas and Edmonton. We need some luck the the team&#8217;s health, though.
<figure id="attachment_167280" aria-describedby="caption-attachment-167280" style="width: 949px" class="wp-caption aligncenter"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" class=" wp-image-167280" src="http://publish.oilersnation.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/01/USATSI_24388791-1024x682.jpg" alt="Edmonton Oilers Seattle Kraken" width="949" height="632" srcset="https://publish.oilersnation.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/01/USATSI_24388791-1024x682.jpg 1024w, https://publish.oilersnation.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/01/USATSI_24388791-300x200.jpg 300w, https://publish.oilersnation.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/01/USATSI_24388791-768x512.jpg 768w, https://publish.oilersnation.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/01/USATSI_24388791-1536x1023.jpg 1536w, https://publish.oilersnation.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/01/USATSI_24388791-2048x1364.jpg 2048w" sizes="(max-width: 949px) 100vw, 949px" /><figcaption id="caption-attachment-167280" class="wp-caption-text">Oct 2, 2024; Seattle, Washington, USA; Edmonton Oilers head coach Kris Knoblauch during the first period against the Seattle Kraken at Climate Pledge Arena.</figcaption></figure>
5) Vince asks &#8211; Kris Knoblauch will have to make some difficult roster decisions coming when the guys start getting healthy again. What do your ideal forward lines look like, assuming all of the Oilers forwards are back and healthy enough to play?
Jason Gregor:
Good question. I’d guess we will see many different line combos as Knoblauch tries to find ones that work while also keeping guys in the mix.
Skinner &#8211; McDavid &#8211; Hyman 
Frederic &#8211; Draisaitl &#8211; Arvidsson 
Kane &#8211; RNH &#8211; Podkolzin 
Janmark &#8211; Henrique &#8211; Brown
Corey Perry will also play. He and Skinner might switch. Who starts Game 1 likely won’t matter that much. How many people remember Connor Brown didn’t play in the LA series and sat out Game 1 v. Vancouver before being inserted in <a href="https://oilersnation.com/combinations">the lineup</a>? When he got in, he played great. Perry and Kapanen, or one of the 12 forwards I listed above, could miss the start of the playoffs but still play a key role.
Tyler Yaremchuk:
<div>Skinner &#8211; McDavid &#8211; Hyman</div>
<div>Frederic &#8211; Draisaitl &#8211; Arvidsson</div>
<div>Podkolzin &#8211; Nugent-Hopkins &#8211; Kane</div>
<div>Janmark &#8211; Henrique &#8211; Perry</div>
Liam Horrobin:
Skinner &#8211; McDavid &#8211; Hyman 
Frederic &#8211; Drai &#8211; Arvidsson 
Podkolzin &#8211; Nuge &#8211; Kane 
Brown &#8211; Henrique &#8211; Perry
Extras: Janmark &#8211; Jones &#8211; Kapanen
Zach Laing:
Skinner &#8211; McDavid &#8211; Hyman 
Frederic &#8211; Draisaitl &#8211; Kane 
Podkolzin &#8211; Nuge &#8211; Arvidsson 
Perry &#8211; Henrique &#8211; Brown
Ekholm &#8211; Bouchard 
Nurse &#8211; Walman 
Kulak &#8211; Emberson
I added in the blueliners, too. I could see Janmark getting the 4RW spot over Brown, but I think this is the right mix. Draisaitl and Kane&#8217;s numbers were absolutely ruined in the playoffs last year in their time with Cody Ceci, and with the additions of Jake Walman and Ty Emberson, I don&#8217;t see that being the case again.
Baggedmilk:
Skinner &#8211; McDavid &#8211; Hyman 
Frederic &#8211; Draisaitl &#8211; Arvidsson 
Kane &#8211; RNH &#8211; Podkolzin 
Janmark &#8211; Henrique &#8211; Perry
The only reason I&#8217;m taking Brown out of my Game 1 lineup is because Corey Perry has been great all season. He deserves to play.
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Good morning, everyone, and a happy Monday to all of you. I've got a fresh mailbag ready to go after taking your questions and sending them to the crew for their take on whatever is on your mind. This week, we're discussing Darnell Nurse's season, Calvin Pickard getting playoff starts, and more. If you’ve got a question you’d like to ask, email it to me at <a class="text-accent" href="mailto:baggedmilk@oilersnation.com" rel="noopener noreferrer">baggedmilk@oilersnation.com</a> or on Twitter at <a class="text-accent" href="https://www.twitter.com/jsbmbaggedmilk" rel="noopener noreferrer">@jsbmbaggedmilk</a>, and I’ll get to you as soon as I can.



[caption id="attachment_170594" align="aligncenter" width="876"]<img class=" wp-image-170594" src="http://publish.oilersnation.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/02/USATSI_25483413-1-1024x683.jpg" alt="Edmonton Oilers Darnell Nurse" width="876" height="584" /> Darnell Nurse © Kyle Ross-Imagn Images[/caption]

1) Brady asks - What are your thoughts on the play of <a href="https://publish.oilersnation.com/2025/04/06/who-should-oilers-use-as-darnell-nurse-partner/">Darnell Nurse</a> this season? I feel he has not really gotten a lot of recognition but has quietly had a solid season.

Jason Gregor:

He has been their most consistent defenseman all season. He is one of only eight D-men in the NHL who has played 50+ games and averaged 19+ minutes/game at 5x5. His decision-making with and without the puck has been very good, and he and Walman (who will be a pair when Ekholm returns) will be crucial to the Oilers on a deep playoff run.

Tyler Yaremchuk:

I agree with you. Early in the season, he was playing some of his best hockey in years and while maybe he's plateaued off a little bit, I still think he's had way more good games than bad. I really want to see him paired with Jake Walman for a good run to see if they can develop some chemistry. I think he could be poised to have a very strong post season.

Liam Horrobin:

We are not seeing the eye-popping mistakes this year, which has been fantastic. He's using his skillset to his advantage with his athleticism and puck abilities. What proved how good Nurse is this season was when he missed those games. The team felt lost without him. I'd still love to see him rush the puck more and become an offensive threat, but that's just me being picky.

Zach Laing:

You're right — quietly, he's had a solid season for the team. It's felt like he's been consistent all season long, and his five-on-five goal share (53.2 percent) and his expected goal share (53.7 percent) are both the third highest marks of his career.

Baggedmilk:

I think Nurse is having one of his best years ever, IMO. I think he's making fewer mistakes with the puck, picking his spots to rush up ice, and has quietly been collecting points often down the stretch.

[caption id="attachment_172809" align="aligncenter" width="905"]<img class=" wp-image-172809" src="http://publish.oilersnation.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/04/USATSI_25857856-1024x835.jpg" alt="Edmonton Oilers Trent Frederic Los Angeles Kings" width="905" height="738" /> Apr 5, 2025; Los Angeles, California, USA; Edmonton Oilers center Trent Frederic (21) and Los Angeles Kings left wing Kevin Fiala (22) grapple in front of the Los Angeles Kings net during the first quarter at Crypto.com Arena.[/caption]

2) Clay asks - Outside of the obvious 'win every game' do the Oilers have to do over <a href="https://oilersnation.com/schedule">their last six games</a> to lock in home-ice advantage? What are the must-wins for you?

Jason Gregor:

Almost impossible they catch LA. Four points back with six games to go, and LA owns the tiebreakers, so essentially it is five points back. If LA goes 3-3, the Oilers have to go 5-0-1. By the time they meet head-to-head, it likely won’t matter. Oilers just need to be healthy.

Tyler Yaremchuk:

They absolutely have to beat the Kings in their next head to head matchup now. For me, I want to see them continue to crank up the physicality and start to play a little meaner. It's time to start treating these games like playoff games. Also, some depth guys need to start scoring. Having a few hot hands in the bottom six heading into the post-season would be awesome.

Liam Horrobin:

That dream may have died after the <a href="https://publish.oilersnation.com/2025/04/05/instant-reaction-undermanned-edmonton-oilers-lose-to-los-angeles-kings/">loss to the Kings on Saturday</a>. However, while home is important, the Oilers are more than capable of beating the Kings in seven games either way. The "must-win" games, if there is still a chance, are against San Jose, Anaheim and LA. You can't slip up against them.

Zach Laing:

Their biggest concern isn't even about their on-ice play right now: it's about getting healthy.

Baggedmilk:

Home-ice doesn't look like it will happen, so the most important thing is that everyone gets healthy for round one. It's not impossible, but definitely looks unlikely.

[caption id="attachment_172813" align="aligncenter" width="1024"]<img class="size-large wp-image-172813" src="http://publish.oilersnation.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/04/USATSI_25842166-1024x683.jpg" alt="Edmonton OIlers goalie Calvin Pickard" width="1024" height="683" /> Apr 3, 2025; San Jose, California, USA; Edmonton Oilers goaltender Calvin Pickard (30) makes a save against the San Jose Sharks in the third period at SAP Center at San Jose. Mandatory Credit: Eakin Howard-Imagn Images[/caption]

3) Yves asks - How likely do you think it would be that Calvin Pickard gets the start for Game 1 of the playoffs? He's been playing well down the stretch, whereas <a href="https://publish.oilersnation.com/2025/03/27/stuart-skinner-injury-corey-perry-edmonton-oilers-comeback/">Skinner is still out</a> after getting hit by Rantanen nearly two weeks ago.

Jason Gregor:

It will depend on Skinner’s health. I was told Skinner was on the ice last week, but it was not an intense practice. Skinner will have to get in a few games before playoffs, but if not, Pickard will start.

Tyler Yaremchuk:

It's getting closer to 50/50 for me. Every game he finishes with a save percentage above .900 is just strengthening his case. He's been very consistent over this stretch with Skinner out and if Stuart were to come back and look a little shaky, I could absolutely see them going with Pickard night one. It's still Skinners crease and I would bet on him being the guy, I'm just saying it's getting closer.

Liam Horrobin:

It seems more and more likely in every game. The team sees Skinner as their number one, but huge props to Pickard for forcing himself into the conversation. It'll all come down to how Skinner performs when he returns to the crease.

Zach Laing:

I'm starting to get a bit concerned about Skinner's health as it's been nearly two weeks and we haven't heard anything about where he's at in his recovery. Pickard has kept the Oilers in games since he's taken over the crease, going 3-2 with a .904 save percentage. I'm not ready to declare anything one way or another until we find out more about where Skinner's at.

Baggedmilk:

I think Pickard will get Game 1 of the playoffs unless Skinner can get a few games in before the end of the season. Concussions can be tricky to recover from, so I can't imagine the Oilers will be rushing Stu back any time before he's absolutely 100% ready.

[caption id="attachment_172593" align="aligncenter" width="880"]<img class=" wp-image-172593" src="http://publish.oilersnation.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/04/USATSI_25825758-1024x683.jpg" alt="Edmonton Oilers Darnell Nurse and Calvin Pickard" width="880" height="587" /> Apr 1, 2025; Las Vegas, Nevada, USA; Edmonton Oilers defenseman Darnell Nurse (25) celebrates with Edmonton Oilers goaltender Calvin Pickard (30) after the Oilers defeat the Vegas Golden Knights at T-Mobile Arena. Mandatory Credit: Stephen R. Sylvanie-Imagn Images[/caption]

4) Brett asks - Who are your Top 2 Stanley Cup contenders from each conference? Are there two on either side?

Jason Gregor:

East… Tampa Bay and Washington (easiest path).

West… Dallas and Edmonton. The Oilers' health is the wildcard.

Tyler Yaremchuk:

I'll go Colorado and Edmonton in the West. I love the forward depth that each side has and I think they can overcome their issues (goaltending for Edmonton and defense for Colorado). In the East, I really like both Florida and Tampa Bay this season but I will say... I got a funny feeling about Toronto this year. Sometimes these runs happen when you least expect them.

Liam Horrobin:

Tampa Bay Lightning in the East, and the Colorado Avalanche in the West. However, any team besides the Minnesota Wild can win the Stanley Cup in the Western Conference. All the teams out West are elite.

Zach Laing:

Great question. Washington out east is an easy one, and I want to say Carolina as a No. 2 there, but the last few playoff runs have been so disappointing for them. In the West, outside of Edmonton, I'll go Winnipeg and as a dark horse, St. Louis. The Blues are on quite the run right now.

Baggedmilk:

East: Washington and Carolina

West: Dallas and Edmonton. We need some luck the the team's health, though.

[caption id="attachment_167280" align="aligncenter" width="949"]<img class=" wp-image-167280" src="http://publish.oilersnation.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/01/USATSI_24388791-1024x682.jpg" alt="Edmonton Oilers Seattle Kraken" width="949" height="632" /> Oct 2, 2024; Seattle, Washington, USA; Edmonton Oilers head coach Kris Knoblauch during the first period against the Seattle Kraken at Climate Pledge Arena.[/caption]

5) Vince asks - Kris Knoblauch will have to make some difficult roster decisions coming when the guys start getting healthy again. What do your ideal forward lines look like, assuming all of the Oilers forwards are back and healthy enough to play?

Jason Gregor:
Good question. I’d guess we will see many different line combos as Knoblauch tries to find ones that work while also keeping guys in the mix.
Skinner - McDavid - Hyman
Frederic - Draisaitl - Arvidsson
Kane - RNH - Podkolzin
Janmark - Henrique - Brown
Corey Perry will also play. He and Skinner might switch. Who starts Game 1 likely won’t matter that much. How many people remember Connor Brown didn’t play in the LA series and sat out Game 1 v. Vancouver before being inserted in <a href="https://oilersnation.com/combinations">the lineup</a>? When he got in, he played great. Perry and Kapanen, or one of the 12 forwards I listed above, could miss the start of the playoffs but still play a key role.
Tyler Yaremchuk:
<div>Skinner - McDavid - Hyman</div>
<div>Frederic - Draisaitl - Arvidsson</div>
<div>Podkolzin - Nugent-Hopkins - Kane</div>
<div>Janmark - Henrique - Perry</div>
Liam Horrobin:

Skinner - McDavid - Hyman
Frederic - Drai - Arvidsson
Podkolzin - Nuge - Kane
Brown - Henrique - Perry

Extras: Janmark - Jones - Kapanen

Zach Laing:

Skinner - McDavid - Hyman
Frederic - Draisaitl - Kane
Podkolzin - Nuge - Arvidsson
Perry - Henrique - Brown

Ekholm - Bouchard
Nurse - Walman
Kulak - Emberson

I added in the blueliners, too. I could see Janmark getting the 4RW spot over Brown, but I think this is the right mix. Draisaitl and Kane's numbers were absolutely ruined in the playoffs last year in their time with Cody Ceci, and with the additions of Jake Walman and Ty Emberson, I don't see that being the case again.

Baggedmilk:

Skinner - McDavid - Hyman
Frederic - Draisaitl - Arvidsson
Kane - RNH - Podkolzin
Janmark - Henrique - Perry

The only reason I'm taking Brown out of my Game 1 lineup is because Corey Perry has been great all season. He deserves to play.
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