Should the Oilers shake up the lines? Examining early chemistry issues

Shaking up the lines for the Edmonton Oilers roster seems like the best scenario to follow at this point, given how the season is unfolding so far. We are effectively at the quarter mark of the 2024-25 campaign, and it is pretty evident that the roster is far from what it was last year, even accounting for the coaching change which was made around this time last season.

The team leaders such as Connor McDavid and Leon Draisaitl are stepping up in points production, but overall scoring is down and the chemistry needs to improve. It is far from what it should be at this stage of the season and desperately needs resolving.

Following Tuesday night's 5-2 win in Ottawa against the Senators, the Oilers have a record of 10-8-2 and actually sit in a playoff position in the Western Conference. However this is a deceptive position, considering factors such as having played more games than anyone else, along with having a -7 goal difference.

Head coach Kris Knoblauch has been changing his lines already, in an effort to get more from his players. However, he has not had the type of success he did last season and is now left with more questions than answers.

Shaking up the lines for the Oilers

When it comes to shaking things up for the Edmonton Oilers, does this mean trading away forwards and trying to acquire new players? Or do they need to keep it simple and stay the course -- at least for now -- as general manager Stan Bowman has done for the past month and a half?

At this point, giving up something big would make sense for the future and well-being of the Oilers franchise. This would include trading away forwards Zach Hyman or Ryan Nugent-Hopkins, and revamping the blue line around the likes of Evan Bouchard and Darnell Nurse.

The Oilers are in need of changes

There were significant roster additions were made during the offseason, which resulted in the team seeming to look stronger and primed to punch another ticket to the Stanley Cup Final in 2024-25. However, these changes were compromised by the double offer sheet from the St. Louis Blues for Philip Broberg and Dylan Holloway, and the Oilers became weaker for the loss of both, along with locker room leader Codi Ceci.

There are several important dates and times for reflection to come in the 2024-25 campaign, including the Christmas break, the halfway point of the regular season, and the 2025 NHL Trade Deadline. It will be interesting to see what moves will be made by the Oilers to try and improve their chances of success, with the obvious risk that they could make the roster worse.

Other teams in the Pacific Division will be waiting to see what the Oilers do as well, ready to prey on any weaknesses in Edmonton. Whether the Oilers are ready to deal with the adversity and upcoming challenges, remains to be seen.

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