Knoblauch boosts veteran winger and all Oilers forwards with tonight’s line combos

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This in from Tony Brar of the Oilers TV, Edmonton’s new lines and pairings for Saturday night’s game against the Washington Capitals, with veteran winger Andrew Mangiapane boosted up to a line with Leon Draisaitl and Vasily Podkolzin.

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RNH – McDavid – Hyman
Podkolzin – Draisaitl – Mangiapane
Howard – Roslovic – Savoie
Janmark – Lazar – Frederic
Kapanen

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Ekholm – Bouchard
Nurse – Emberson
Walman – Stastney
Regula

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My take

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1. Andrew Mangiapane was playing OK hockey when trade talk heated up around him after Christmas, but since that time his game has fallen off. He’s been healthy scratched and he hasn’t done much when he has played, save for one great rebound goal off a Curtis Lazar shot. But if the Oilers are going to trade this player and his $3.6 million cap hit — and if that’s what Mangiapane really wants — he’s got to dig in and pick it up.

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2. Oilers coach Kris Knoblauch is now giving him that chance, putting him on a line with Draisaitl and Podkolzin. This move not only helps Mangiapane, it should help all Oilers forwards in that the coach is now sticking with lines that have been OK-to-great.

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3. The top line of McDavid, RNH and Hyman has been excellent for almost two months now. The fourth line of Curtis Lazar, Trent Frederic and Mattias Janmark has also been strong in a small sample size, with Frederic finally playing effective two-way hockey while teamed up with Lazar and Janmark. Meanwhile the third line of Roslovic, Howard and Savoie, while not any kind of long-term answer for the team due to its defensive deficiencies, has some offensive juice, some attack juju.

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4. Spencer Stastney has been struggling on defence, but so has Alec Regula, so Knoblauch is sticking with Stastney for now. It’s apparent, though, that the Oilers need to make a move on defence and pick up a big depth defender. Maybe Stastney or Regula can change that equation, but the clock is ticking towards the trade deadline.

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At the Cult of Hockey

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