Babcock to Start Season With McDavid-Draisaitl Line
Oilers coach Mike Babcock plans to open the season with Connor McDavid and Leon Draisaitl together, still undecided on their third linemate.
Mike Babcock intends to open the season with Connor McDavid and Leon Draisaitl on the same line, the Edmonton head coach has said. The pair skated together in the top trio at the first session of training camp.
"I will definitely try to start with the two of them playing together. Who will be the third — I don't know yet. I like that both can drive play. Ryan Nugent-Hopkins is capable of that too. So we'll spend time studying each other. I don't have any particular theories right now. We'll see later who plays with whom and how much ice time each gets. The players themselves will have to work a lot of this out," Babcock said.
Vasily Podkolzin took the third spot alongside McDavid and Draisaitl at that opening practice. Nugent-Hopkins, Zach Hyman and Isaac Howard made up the nominal second line.
Babcock's remarks leave the wing spot open. Nugent-Hopkins offers an alternative to Podkolzin there, and Babcock's own framing — that he has "no particular theories" yet — suggests camp will decide the combination rather than a plan set in advance.
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