Edmonton Oilers Decide Deployment of Leon Draisaitl
By Kurt Leavins
The Edmonton Oilers trading of Taylor Hall will have a number of cause-and-effects for the club this season, but perhaps no more so than on the emergence of forward Leon Draisaitl.
The big German developed an obvious chemistry with Hall, especially early on last season. That was “a load”, a skilled one, coming down on opposition blue lines, most nights. But with Hall swapped out for much-needed defensive help, Todd McLellan now needs to decide not only where Draisaitl will fit for the upcoming season. Where he will thrive?
The most traditional way to think of Leon Draisaitl is as a center. After all, it has been a generation since the Edmonton Oilers had a really big, skilled man at pivot. And I have little doubt that is exactly where his future with this franchise lay. But in a transition year such as this, I suspect strongly that McLellan will do anything but use him in a traditional way, most nights.
A threesome of Draisaitl, Nail Yakupov and a veteran winger like a Benoit Pouliot for stability on a 3-rd line, soft-minutes parade might be the easiest thing for the coach to do. And, in fact, there’s some balance in that: Play-maker, Shooter, Fore-checker. However, by definition, that would limit Leon’s ice time. And McLellan will want Draisaitl to get Top 6 minutes.
O.k., then assuming (correctly) that Connor McDavid is your 1C, then let’s elevate Leon to the 2nd line, between Patrick Maroon and Jesse Puljujarvi. Again, there’s a semblance of balance, similar to my 3rd Line model. However that puts a lot of inexperience in your Top 6, and perhaps a soft underbelly, defensively. And if you sub in Zack Kassian for the rookie, well then now the line is a bit slow. Plus, it would force Ryan Nugent-Hopkins to the 3rd line, and that’s not going to happen,
Hmmm.
Well, if we follow the history of Todd McLellan as an NHL coach, he has had success moving centers over to wing, in an effort to maximize their minutes and, therefore, their effectiveness.
So lets try slotting Draisaitl in on the right side, with Connor McDavid and Milan Lucic. Much like with Draisaitl and Hall, that would be “a load” for opposition defenders to handle. But I see a balance issue there, too. Lucic is not a pure shooter, nor is McDavid, one of the few things #97 isn’t REALLY good at (yet). And Draisaitl is absolutely a pass-first option on any line. No, I really think
Jordan Eberle (pure shooter) will line up with McDavid & Lucic.
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That leaves the 2nd line, for Leon, on Starboard with Ryan Nugent-Hopkins and (perhaps) a Benoit Pouliot, who is more of a shooter, an effective fore-checker and responsible defensively (as is The Nuge). This now becomes a fast line. It has balance and enough defensive acumen to face tougher match-ups…but abundantly skilled enough to TAKE advantage of weaker ones. Yes, that really does seem to be a good fit, doesn’t it?
Now, that “solution” has a number of implications on the Edmonton Oilers lineup, primarily on Jesse Puljujarvi and Nail Yakupov, who would end up 3rd line options, and for both of them, that may well be where they belong this point in their careers…especially the rookie.
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As for Yakupov, you may rightly point out that in order for Nail to really help this team, he needs Top 6 minutes. I wouldn’t disagree. But I would also point out that Todd McLellan will be much more focused on Draisaitl getting that Top 6 ice time.
And well he should be.