Amid a rocky start to the season, Edmonton Oilers head coach Kris Knoblauch stacked the top line by pairing Connor McDavid with Leon Draisaitl, a dynamic duo that’s often relied upon in Oil Country. While this approach has proven effective in the past, most coaches have understood that the Oilers must find success with McDavid and Draisaitl driving separate lines for the long-term benefit of the team.
For nearly a decade, McDavid and Draisaitl have delivered jaw-dropping highlights, often combining their talents to win hard-fought games, especially in the playoffs. The Oilers have frequently loaded up their top line with the dynamic duo throughout much of the postseason. However, the magic they create together comes at a cost.
Only having one line able to generate offense stunts the team, even if the line consists of some of the best players in the league. It makes for wicked short-term hockey, but it’s counterproductive to long-term success. Constantly overworking McDavid and Draisaitl will burn their gas tanks quickly. So too, fatiguing them and creating a prime environment for injury.
More Than Just Fatigue for McDavid and Draisaitl
In the playoffs, McDavid and Draisaitl not only face increased ice time but also become prime targets for the opposition. Their unique talents make them key players of interest, and the physical, grinding style of postseason play, combined with the fatigue from being overused, has led to a series of injuries for both stars. Though the determined duo has played through these injuries, it inevitably hinders their performance, further diminishing their chances of realizing their Stanley Cup dreams.
Success through balanced contributions from all four lines is key to boosting the Oilers’ chances of winning, and it’s a crucial trait of Stanley Cup-caliber teams. Coach Kris Knoblauch understands this, aiming to deploy McDavid and Draisaitl together only in short, critical moments. However, like many coaches before him, he often falls into the familiar pattern of relying too heavily on the dynamic duo.
The McDavid and Draisaitl duo has been split up ahead of Tuesday’s matchup against the Carolina Hurricanes. Can the Oilers find success while keeping them apart?
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