Connor McDavid is back and the blender is out.

Ahead of Monday&#8217;s game against the <a href="https://oilersnation.com/news/oilers-game-notes-50-0-connor-mcdavid-returns-as-edmonton-hosts-the-seattle-kraken">Seattle Kraken</a>, Edmonton Oilers head coach Kris Knoblauch made a few changes to his team&#8217;s forward lines.
McDavid has served his <a href="https://oilersnation.com/news/nhl-suspends-connor-mcdavid-tyler-myers-three-games-for-late-game-cross-checks">three-game suspension</a> for cross-checking and will be back in his normal spot as the first-line centre. The captain will have Leon Draisaitl on his left wing and Zach Hyman on his right.
When McDavid and Draisaitl are united on the top line, we usually see Ryan Nugent-Hopkins take over as the second centre. That won&#8217;t be the case against Seattle, as Adam Henrique is lining up between Vasily Podkolzin and Viktor Arvidsson while Nugent-Hopkins is skating with Mattias Janmark and Connor Brown.
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<h3 style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://oilersnation.com/combinations">Edmonton Oilers Forward Lines from Daily Faceoff</a></h3>
<img loading="lazy" decoding="async" class="aligncenter size-full wp-image-168700" src="http://publish.oilersnation.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/01/Screenshot-2025-01-27-at-12.01.33 PM.png" alt="" width="850" height="691" srcset="https://publish.oilersnation.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/01/Screenshot-2025-01-27-at-12.01.33 PM.png 850w, https://publish.oilersnation.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/01/Screenshot-2025-01-27-at-12.01.33 PM-300x244.png 300w, https://publish.oilersnation.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/01/Screenshot-2025-01-27-at-12.01.33 PM-768x624.png 768w" sizes="(max-width: 850px) 100vw, 850px" />
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Henrique was acquired from the Anaheim Ducks at last season&#8217;s trade deadline. He spent some time on the wing but settled into the team&#8217;s third-line centre role during the playoffs. In the off-season, Edmonton opted to re-sign Henrique and trade Ryan McLeod, which indicated they preferred the veteran in that two-way centre role.
So far this season, Henrique has spent most of his time playing with Janmark and Brown. The 34-year-old has seven goals and 14 points through 49 games and has an on-ice goal differential of 19-to-16 at even strength. Those are decent results for a third-line centre but it&#8217;s well below the 24 goals and 51 points Henrique scored last season playing more offensive minutes.
Moving Henrique up to play with Podkolzin and Arvidsson might be about the Oilers trying to see what options they have internally down the middle before the trade deadline on March 7. There&#8217;s no doubt that McDavid and Draisaitl will be playing together at times during the playoffs and the Oilers need to determine whether or not they have another player who can drive the second line.
Nugent-Hopkins has 31 points this season but only 17 of them have come at even-strength. The Oilers might prefer using him in a more defensive role with Janmark and Brown while Henrique&#8217;s offensive game might be unlocked playing with more skilled wingers.
Frank Seravalli&#8217;s newest <a href="https://www.dailyfaceoff.com/news/vancouver-canucks-j-t-miller-will-remain-no-1-on-trade-targets-board-until-hes-traded">Trade Targets</a> article featured a few notable pivots at the top of the list, including J.T. Miller, Brock Nelson, and Yanni Gourde. Miller won&#8217;t be an option because of his <a href="https://puckpedia.com/player/jt-miller">contract</a> but both Nelson and Gourde are interesting possibilities for the Oilers depending on how they want to use Nugent-Hopkins and Henrique.

Edmonton Oilers Connor McDavid Leon Draisaitl

Connor McDavid is back and the blender is out.



Ahead of Monday's game against the <a href="https://oilersnation.com/news/oilers-game-notes-50-0-connor-mcdavid-returns-as-edmonton-hosts-the-seattle-kraken">Seattle Kraken</a>, Edmonton Oilers head coach Kris Knoblauch made a few changes to his team's forward lines.

McDavid has served his <a href="https://oilersnation.com/news/nhl-suspends-connor-mcdavid-tyler-myers-three-games-for-late-game-cross-checks">three-game suspension</a> for cross-checking and will be back in his normal spot as the first-line centre. The captain will have Leon Draisaitl on his left wing and Zach Hyman on his right.

When McDavid and Draisaitl are united on the top line, we usually see Ryan Nugent-Hopkins take over as the second centre. That won't be the case against Seattle, as Adam Henrique is lining up between Vasily Podkolzin and Viktor Arvidsson while Nugent-Hopkins is skating with Mattias Janmark and Connor Brown.

<hr />

<h3 style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://oilersnation.com/combinations">Edmonton Oilers Forward Lines from Daily Faceoff</a></h3>
<img class="aligncenter size-full wp-image-168700" src="http://publish.oilersnation.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/01/Screenshot-2025-01-27-at-12.01.33 PM.png" alt="" width="850" height="691" />

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Henrique was acquired from the Anaheim Ducks at last season's trade deadline. He spent some time on the wing but settled into the team's third-line centre role during the playoffs. In the off-season, Edmonton opted to re-sign Henrique and trade Ryan McLeod, which indicated they preferred the veteran in that two-way centre role.

So far this season, Henrique has spent most of his time playing with Janmark and Brown. The 34-year-old has seven goals and 14 points through 49 games and has an on-ice goal differential of 19-to-16 at even strength. Those are decent results for a third-line centre but it's well below the 24 goals and 51 points Henrique scored last season playing more offensive minutes.

Moving Henrique up to play with Podkolzin and Arvidsson might be about the Oilers trying to see what options they have internally down the middle before the trade deadline on March 7. There's no doubt that McDavid and Draisaitl will be playing together at times during the playoffs and the Oilers need to determine whether or not they have another player who can drive the second line.

Nugent-Hopkins has 31 points this season but only 17 of them have come at even-strength. The Oilers might prefer using him in a more defensive role with Janmark and Brown while Henrique's offensive game might be unlocked playing with more skilled wingers.

Frank Seravalli's newest <a href="https://www.dailyfaceoff.com/news/vancouver-canucks-j-t-miller-will-remain-no-1-on-trade-targets-board-until-hes-traded">Trade Targets</a> article featured a few notable pivots at the top of the list, including J.T. Miller, Brock Nelson, and Yanni Gourde. Miller won't be an option because of his <a href="https://puckpedia.com/player/jt-miller">contract</a> but both Nelson and Gourde are interesting possibilities for the Oilers depending on how they want to use Nugent-Hopkins and Henrique.

Leon Draisaitl on Connor McDavid’s wing, Adam Henrique up to second line as Oilers shuffle forwards

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