Kasperi Kapanen has traditionally slotted in on Leon Draisaitl's right wing in Edmonton, but heading into this season, that role might not be his.
Matt Savoie played there last season and played very well, arguably better than Kapanen has during his time with the Oilers. Isaac Howard has also shown that he is ready to play in the top six, leaving Edmonton with two young forwards who have already played with the team's best players and should be given the opportunity to stay there.
That doesn't leave much room for Kapanen.
If Connor McDavid and Draisaitl centre separate lines, the Oilers can put Howard with one and Savoie with the other, while Zach Hyman and Vasily Podkolzin take the opposite wings. Those combinations give Edmonton two experienced players, two young players and one world-class centre on each line, while allowing Howard and Savoie to continue in roles they were already trusted with last season.
In that version of the lineup, Kapanen is a bottom-six forward.
It wouldn't necessarily be because he played his way out of the top six, either. Kapanen dealt with frequent injuries last season and hasn't had much opportunity to put together an extended run in one spot, but the Oilers have also found younger options who may simply be better fits there now.
How Much Rope Will Josh Samanski Get Under Babcock?The rookie’s defensive instincts face the ultimate test as Mike Babcock’s high-stakes accountability determines whether Edmonton targets a veteran center or trusts their homegrown youth this season.Kapanen's speed has always made sense beside Draisaitl, particularly on the right side, but Savoie showed last season that he can provide many of the same things while bringing more offence. There's little reason to move him away from Draisaitl just because Kapanen has spent more time in that position.
Mike Babcock, however, may have a different idea for his top line.
Babcock would like to see McDavid and Draisaitl play together, presumably with Hyman. That would give Edmonton an obvious first line, but it would also leave the Oilers trying to build a second line around Ryan Nugent-Hopkins, not McDavid or Draisaitl.
In vs Out: Did The Oilers Actually Improve From The End of Last Season to The Start Of This Season?From a high-stakes coaching gamble to a defensive overhaul, we break down Edmonton’s aggressive roster surgery to see if these bold upgrades truly make them championship favorites.You could put Howard and Savoie on his wings, keeping both young players in the top six while allowing Edmonton to load up its first line. But that might be a lot to ask from Nugent-Hopkins.
At 33, Nugent-Hopkins would be asked to centre two players who are still relatively new to the league, and while Howard and Savoie are ready for larger roles, there will still be parts of the NHL they are learning. Having both on the same line would leave Nugent-Hopkins as the only established veteran on that unit and put plenty of responsibility on him at both ends of the ice.
If Babcock wants another veteran alongside Nugent-Hopkins, Kapanen suddenly has a pretty obvious place in the lineup. One of Howard or Savoie could play on the other wing, giving Edmonton a second line with two experienced players and one younger forward rather than asking Nugent-Hopkins to manage both at once.
Can Mike Babcock Coach Trent Frederic Back To RelavanceThere was a pretty clear idea of what Trent Frederic was supposed to be when the Edmonton Oilers brought him in.
That's probably Kapanen's best chance to stay in the top six.
His role is much less certain than it was a year ago, and his injury history hasn't helped his case. Edmonton no longer needs Kapanen beside Draisaitl simply because there isn't another option available, and Savoie has done enough to make a strong case that he should get that job whenever Draisaitl is centring his own line.
It all depends on whether Babcock really does play McDavid and Draisaitl together. Whether Edmonton is comfortable putting Howard and Savoie together on a line centred by Nugent-Hopkins, or whether Babcock would rather have another veteran there while the two young forwards continue establishing themselves.
Bookmark The Hockey News Edmonton Oilers team site to never miss the latest news, game-day coverage, and more. Add us to your Google News favourites, and never miss a story.