Game Day 2: Oilers vs Chicago Blackhawks
This in from Bob Stauffer of the Edmonton Oilers, tonight’s line-up against the Chicago Blackhawks, with an indication that the one thing going great for the Oilers — the checking line of veterans Adam Henrique, Connor Brown and Mattias Janmark — is together again:
RNH-McDavid-Hyman
Skinner-Draisaitl-Arvidsson
Janmark-Henrique-Brown
Podkolzin-Ryan-Perry
Ekholm-Bouchard
Nurse-Dermott
Kulak-Emberson
Stecher
Pickard
Skinner
My take
1. The veteran checking line of Henrique, Brown and Janmark has its critics. They point out a few issues, namely the trio was not together long in the playoffs, playing just 53 minutes together, and in those 53 minutes while they out-scored the opposition 2-1, they got outshot 15 to 25.
2. Critics also will mention, quite reasonably, that in a combined 142 regular season games last year, Brown and Janmark scored just eight goals. That’s hardly third line production, correct? That’s barely good enough to be in the NHL, correct?
3. For all that I remain bullish about this line. Perhaps this is motivated reasoning on my part. For one thing, throughout the McDavid era I’ve craved that the team develop a checking line, a line of solid, shut-down defenders who the Oilers can put out against tough attacking competition, the first or second lines of the opposing team, and still get the job done.
Such a useful checking line would enable the Oilers to play the McDavid and Draisaitl lines against less stinging competition, giving them more space and time to make fine plays.
That’s the theory, but it’s rarely worked. And I want it to work, so perhaps I’m reaching in my analysis.
4. Despite such concerns, the checking line was the only thing that worked against the Winnipeg Jets in the season opener, a 6-0 loss. Janmark, Brown and Henrique were solid. In 10:40 minutes, the trio outshot the Jets 6-3 and sawed off the score at 0-0. The Draisaitl line was -1, the McDavid line -2.
5. Most of their ice time came against Mark Scheifele, Kyle Connor and Gabe Vilardi, so this part of Edmonton’s strategy went as planned, with the vets keeping off the scoreboard a top Winnipeg line.
Connor Brown directed three Grade A shots on net. He made a mistake on just one Grade A shot against. Janmark and Henrique kept clean sheets, not one major mistake on a Grade A shot against at even strength all game. They were three of only six Oilers to do so, along with Mattias Ekholm, Zach Hyman and Derek Ryan. For most Oilers, especially the light-checking, poor-reading forwards, the game was a Gong Show of errors.
6. The Oilers have no shortage of question marks right now, from the play of the second defence paring to a lack of team speed and physicality upfront.
Just now the colossal failure of Oilers management from Ken Holland to Jeff Jackson, to get Philip Broberg and Dylan Holloway signed to reasonable contracts is an ugly cloud over the roster. But it could be this third line will help Edmonton limit some of the damage.
Brown looked fully recovered from his knee surgery in the playoffs and was a two-way ace. Janmark provided toughness and aggression at a rate exceeding almost every other Oilers forward in that same stretch. Henrique showed skill but also grit. They were everything one would hope from veteran players in the Stanley Cup playoffs.
They’re all strong defensive players with plenty of experience, 520 regular season NHL games for Brown, 558 for Janmark, 913 for Henrique. They’re all old enough and wise enough to know what it takes to win and to sacrifice any selfish desire to rack up big point totals in order to play a crucial role. They’ve also got it in them to score now and then, even in a checking role. I look forward to seeing them up against Connor Bedard tonight.
7. Ideally the Oilers will gain enough confidence in the threesome to start using them to close out each period and shut down teams at that time. This last minute of each period has been an issue for the Oilers, as they have not always put defence first. Brown, Henrique and Janmark can and will do so, which will be a boost.
Staples on politics
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