On Tuesday, Edmonton Oilers head coach Kris Knoblauch provided a clear look at his forward plans with Zach Hyman sidelined.

As per Sports 1440's Jasson Gregor, the Oilers will play the Seattle Kraken on Wednesday night in pre-season action, and he’ll reunite Leon Draisaitl and Connor McDavid on the top line, with Trent Frederic getting the first opportunity to skate alongside them.

Knoblauch confirmed that Edmonton intends to open the regular season with its two superstars together, while evaluating who fits best as their linemate. It's not ideal, but it's a workaround until Hyman is ready to return. 

Meanwhile, Ryan Nugent-Hopkins will center the second line, locking him in as the Oilers’ 2C. Adam Henrique and Tomas Tomasek are set to battle for the third-line center role, a competition that could stretch deep into camp.

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The middle-six winger spots are wide open, with Vasily Podkolzin, Andrew Mangiapane, Matt Savoie, Isaac Howard, Kasperi Kapanen, and Mattias Janmark all in the mix. Podkolzin’s physical style and Mangiapane’s scoring touch give them early edges, but younger names like Savoie and Howard are pushing for consideration.

Savoie has impressed early in rookie games and in pre-season, showing he's got the speed and skill to keep up on a top line. 

For now, Frederic is early winner of the 'who plays with McDavid and Draisaitl sweepstakes'. Whether he can keep that job remains to be seen. 

While the Oilers wait for Hyman’s return, these auditions could shape the opening-night lineup. For Knoblauch, the priority is setting the right chemistry with the top two stars and then the depth to provide balanced scoring behind them.

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