spoke to the media<\/a> a few months after Woodcroft\u2019s hiring and discussed how he thought the team had done a better job of making sure everyone in the lineup had a role, and how that had made the whole group play better. <\/p>\nThe bottom-six in hockey is usually defined by more grit and physicality than the top-six. Your third and fourth lines are expected to be able to defend, play a hard game, and put pressure on the opposing players. <\/p>\n
In their last two runs to the Stanley Cup Final, Edmonton\u2019s bottom-six had an identity similar to these ideas, with the Connor Brown-Adam Henrique-Mattias Janmark line in 2024, and players like Kasperi Kapanen and Vasily Podkolzin in 2025. These teams were able to succeed mainly because the players on them had defined roles; Brown and Janmark killed penalties, Henrique took draws and played a 200-foot game, Kapanen and Podkolzin hit people and provided some quick jumps of offence.<\/p>\n
This is something the current Oilers team is lacking. Sure, the subpar play of guys like Andrew Mangiapane and Trent Frederic hasn\u2019t helped, but that\u2019s not an excuse for why the entire unit seems disjointed. It\u2019s hard to win hockey games, let alone playoff hockey games if you\u2019re 1. unaware of where you should be, and 2. unaware of what you should be doing. <\/p>\n
The current bottom-six doesn\u2019t have much of an identity or any roles to speak of. There\u2019s been speculation about perhaps mixing up the coaching staff after the Olympic break, but no matter what happens, Edmonton needs to establish roles and an identity in the bottom six. I\u2019ve got two ideas for what kinds of roles they can establish, and what kind of identity they can bring.<\/p>\n
Get a scoring third line and shutdown fourth line<\/p>\n
This is the most popular angle most contending teams take when constructing their bottom six. It\u2019s not enough to have a great first and second line anymore. Your third line is becoming increasingly important in the playoffs as line-matching becomes more and more prevalent. <\/p>\n
A major part of why Florida beat the Oilers last year was due to their third line of Luostarinen-Lundell-Marchand, who were able not only to be physical but score goals as well. The Oilers would be wise to perhaps adopt a similar strategy. If Edmonton put together a line of Jack Roslovic, Ryan-Nugent Hopkins, and Kasperi Kapanen, suddenly they might have a similar deal. RNH plays a true 200ft game, Roslovic is offensively minded, and Kapanen has great hustle. Aside from the question of who replaces Nuge on McDavid\u2019s wing (I think they need to try Isaac Howard with him), that hypothetical line might really work.<\/p>\n
When it comes to a fourth line, the best compliment you can give them is that you don\u2019t notice them\u2014in a good way. So long as your fourth line can hold their own and not have the pace of play dominated by the other team, they\u2019re winning. <\/p>\n
Curtis Lazar has been the Oilers\u2019 best fourth liner this season by a country mile, and he\u2019s the kind of player you need on a good fourth line. Mattias Janmark can\u2019t quite play third line anymore, but maybe he could succeed on the fourth. Josh Samanski didn\u2019t look out of place on the third line, but maybe he could anchor a fourth line with two older players in Jamark and Lazar. This line won\u2019t be lighting the lamp very much, if at all. However on paper, it\u2019s a physical line that won\u2019t give up much either. It\u2019s certainly worth a shot.<\/p>\n
Trying a kid line and veteran line<\/p>\n
This is a riskier option, but it\u2019s not without merit. Eventually, Edmonton needs to see what they have in their young players. Matt Savoie, Howard, Samanski, and Quinn Hutson are all seemingly part of the future in Edmonton. Fortunately for the Oilers, they might be able to help the lineup sooner rather than later. <\/p>\n
If the organization really wants to give Samanski a test drive at 3C, why not pair him with two other kids in Savoie and Howard? Savoie\u2019s 5v5 game has improved tremendously in terms of puck control and generating chances, and he\u2019s the team\u2019s best PKer. Howard has torn apart the AHL since being sent down and has earned another look. Samanski was brought up because the organization thought so highly of him. The 1990 Oilers won the Stanley Cup partially due to the \u201cKid Line\u201d of Joe Murphy, Ryan Graves, and Martin Gelinas. Maybe a new age \u201cKid Line\u201d is the answer Edmonton is looking for.<\/p>\n
If you\u2019re running a kid line, then your fourth line becomes the vet line. Lazar, Janmark, Frederic, and Henrique all jostle for positions on this line. Their job is very simple: tread water offensively and defensively. Be a calming presence that doesn\u2019t get flattened 5v5. When the Oilers deal Mangiapane, maybe they should target someone who would excel in a role like this. Having a fast kid line that puts opposing teams on their heels contrasted by a vet line that slows the game down and changes the pace might be the mix-up the Oilers need.<\/p>\n
Ultimately, something needs to change in the bottom-six. Head Coach Kris Knoblauch can\u2019t continue to deploy those forwards in the same configuration after the break. If he does, he might not be the only one sent out the door. If the Oilers can establish some roles and identity with their lower-end forwards, it would be a massive boost coming out of the break, and into the deadline and the playoffs. In fact, I think it\u2019s necessary if Edmonton wants any hope of reaching a third straight Stanley Cup Final.<\/p>\n
Photo by Curtis Comeau\/Icon Sportswire<\/p>\n
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