Oilers coach Kris Knoblauch revealed that Connor McDavid and Leon Draisaitl will begin the regular season playing on the same line, and explained why. Edmonton Oilers head coach <a href='https://www.tsn.ca/nhl/article/knoblauch-mcdavid-draisaitl-to-open-season-on-same-line/' class='lien_marqueur' target='_blank' rel='noopener'>Kris Knoblauch said Tuesday that he intends to start the season</a> with Connor McDavid and Leon Draisaitl on the same line. Though Knoblauch wouldn't completely dismiss the idea of splitting up the stars in the future, newcomer Trent Frederic will have the initial opportunity to skate on a line with them. The coach mentioned Frederic has seldom received an actual top-six position and is eager to see what the 2025 trade-deadline acquisition can perform in that capacity. Knoblauch also theorized that reunifying McDavid and Draisaitl could create a trickle-down effect, enabling other forwards to settle into more natural spots further down the lineup. When they are playing together you get a lot more out of the rest of the three lines, Knoblauch explained. That might sound a bit ironic, but the others get more ice time that is available when those two are playing 21 and 22 minutes (separately), there isn't much ice time left for the third and fourth lines and often they feel left out. But with Connor and Leon playing together it allows those three lines to stay in the game, play their regular shift more often and they also get to play more to their identity. If you have a guy who maybe isn't a top-six guy but he is playing with Leon or Connor you kind of have to play to a top-six line identity, even if that isn't part of their game. By playing Connor and Leon together the other guys play to their identity and maybe you get more out of them. We saw it last year with (Ryan) Nugent-Hopkins when he was playing with (Vasily) Podkolzin and (Viktor) Arvidsson, they were putting up as much offence individually. <div align='center' class='pl20 pr20'><blockquote class='twitter-tweet' data-lang='en'><a href='https://twitter.com/JasonGregor/status/1970554168931922223'><div style='border:1px solid #CCCCCC;border-radius:10px;padding:20px;width:300px;'>Loading from Twitter ...</div></a></blockquote></div> <h3>Zach Hyman Will Miss at Least the First Month of the Regular Season</h3> The unavailability of Zach Hyman, <a href='https://www.hockeylatest.com/nhl-team/edmonton-oilers/edmonton-oilers-head-coach-kris-knoblauch-announces-an-expected-return-date-for-zach-hyman' class='lien_marqueur' target='_blank' rel='noopener'>out for the first month following a playoff wrist injury</a>, was also a consideration. Ryan Nugent-Hopkins skated as the second-line center in Tuesday's practice and will stay there as long as McDavid and Draisaitl are together. <div align='center' class='pl20 pr20'><blockquote class='twitter-tweet' data-lang='en'><a href='https://twitter.com/TSNRyanRishaug/status/1970531081968632265'><div style='border:1px solid #CCCCCC;border-radius:10px;padding:20px;width:300px;'>Loading from Twitter ...</div></a></blockquote></div> The Oilers begin their 2025-26 season against the Calgary Flames on Oct. 8, and Knoblauch's line decisions will be under the spotlight with Edmonton looking to establish an early-season tone.