Kris Knoblauch Reveals Massive Lineup Changes Prior to Game 3 vs. the Kings

From Bob Stauffer of 'Oilers Now,' the Oilers lines during practice today were significantly different from the lines they used in Game 2.

While no one knows if it is an improvement, the focus does appear to be on building players who already have some chemistry into a unit.

The top line, with longtime power-play linemates, is a case in point. While the other lines can't compare in terms of experience, Podkolzin and Arvidsson were together frequently this season, as were Brown and Henrique.

Nugent-Hopkins centered Podkolzin and Arvidsson recently, but with mixed results, as they scored six goals but also gave up six against in 294 even-strength minutes.

The most significant change is the reunion of McDavid, Draisaitl, and Hyman. They only played 294 even-strength minutes in a row this season, but they were incredible, scoring 32 and conceding only 14, for a 70% Goals For Percentage.

Having home-ice advantage, Coach Knoblauch is able to control matchups more effectively, and this group is even more daunting.

Defensively, the pairings are questionable. It is unconventional to pair right-handed defensemen Klingberg and Bouchard, and left-handed defensemen Kulak and Walman.

Klingberg and Walman both are known to play their off side, but more conventional left-right pairings like Walman and Bouchard, and Kulak and Klingberg could be more balanced.

In net, the switch to Calvin Pickard is a positive move. Stuart Skinner wasn't terrible in the first few games, but he didn't make the huge saves when his team needed him to either. The team does need a spark, and Pickard can perhaps provide that to them.