The Edmonton Oilers will have many new line combinations when they face the Seattle Kraken on Saturday night.
EDMONTON -- Four down, four to go.
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The Edmonton Oilers are halfway through their pre-season schedule. Now, the competition for roster positions gets tougher, both on the ice and internally.
They take on the Seattle Kraken for the first time this pre-season. And we know what the lineup will look like when they do.
The Oilers' top line of Connor McDavid, Zach Hyman, and Ryan Nugent-Hopkins will get another spin tonight. However, the other lines are completely different.
The second line could be a preview of the team's fourth line. Vasily Podkolzin and Corey Perry will be centered by 2024 first-round draft pick Sam O'Reilly.
O'Reilly has been impressive so far this camp. At the very least, he's giving Derek Ryan and Noah Philp a run for their money at the fourth-line center role.
Philp will have an opportunity to further his case for the position. He will center a line with Lane Pederson and Matt Savoie as his wingers.
Ryan has primarily been a winger this pre-season. Tonight, Ryan will move to the middle of the ice to show why he should be the choice for the fourth-line pivot. Raphael Lavoie and Mike Hoffman will flank him on either side.
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All three pivots bring their own strengths to the table. Ryan brings experience, while O'Reilly and Philp bring youth and vigor. They all have the right combination of hockey IQ and talent to suit a bottom-six forward.
The puck will drop for tonight's game around 7 PM Mountain Time. Fans can catch the game on the Oilers streaming service, Oilers+.
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