Mike Babcock’s new-look Edmonton squad included several line changes on Day 1 of training camp. Who is getting a promotion and who might not be?
Training camp is not always an indication as to how the lines on any given NHL team will roll out during the season, but it's a hint as to what a coach might be thinking. Mike Babcock led his first on-ice session with the Edmonton Oilers of 2025-26 and there were a few noteable changes.
The team, with the prospects included, were rolled out in two groups on Thursday. One session took place from 9:30am to about 10:45. The second from 11:30 am to just before 1.
Group #1:
Draisaitl-McDavid-Podkolzin
Formenton-Dach-Joseph
Jones-Samanski-Hutson
Tralmaks-Nicholl-Berzkalns Lewandowski
Bookman
Shea-Bouchard
Stastney-Emberson
Stillman-Brown
Carfagna-Robinson
Jarry and Tompkins in goal.
Group #2:
Howard-RNH-Hyman
Frederic-Dickinson-Kapanen
Stonehouse-Marjala-Raty
Pitlick-Michaels-Griffith
Tassy Harvey
Walman-Murphy
Ekholm-Mukhamadullin
Leppanen-Cibulka
Sjolund-Akey
Levi and Ungar in goal
Notice Anything Interesting?
Again, let's be clear that the lines at camp don't guarantee the lines in regular season games. However, we can draw some interesting conclusions from what was on the ice in Day 1.
First, Vasily Podkolzin is getting a look alongside Connor McDavid and Leon Draisaitl. That's a fascinating trio. It suggests that Babcock is going to roll McDavid and Draisaitl together, and put a force of nature with offensive upside on that line. It's two future Hall of Famers with arguably the hardest worker on the roster. It will be a hard line to play against, both in terms of skill and tenacity. It's also a prime opportunity for Podkolzin to improve his offensive output from last season. His 19 goals last season might be just the start of bigger things to come.
Second, Mattias Ekholm was not on the first two pairs. It was Ryan Shea who was placed with Evan Bouchard. I assumed as the first session was ending that we'd see Ekholm with Connor Murphy, but that wasn't the case, either. Instead, he was with Shakir Mukhamadullin. Perhaps this is Babcock putting a veteran with a young guy. Maybe this is a sign that Ekholm's role on this team is changing.
Third, the penalty kill will look different this season. Thursday saw Alex Formenton and Mathieu Joseph play key roles in the D.J. Smith-constructed penalty kill squad. When Joseph was asked about his role, he responded, "I'm a hard worker. I work my balls off every shift. Hopefully I can get a role on the penalty kill; I think I can be dangerous offensively as well." This is a group that will pressure and force turnovers to create offensive chances.
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