While Frederic will get some run on the wing next to Draisaitl and McDavid to develop some chemistry, Knoblauch also mentioned that he wants him to get reps at playing centre, which has been talked about throughout Training Camp as the Oilers think about what their lines will look like with and without Hyman.
“Freddy hasn’t had the opportunity to play top six very much in his career, and we feel that hopefully he can complement them,” Knoblauch said. “He’s really good on the walls. I don’t think he gets appreciated enough for the playmaking abilities that he does have, and he’s also a big body that’s not afraid to get to the net. Playing with those guys, they like to have the puck, and you don’t need another guy to hog the puck from those guys. You want a guy to retrieve it, get it to them, get to the net, and I think Freddy’s pretty comfortable doing that.”
The opportunity is one that Frederic is embracing this preseason as he settles in and improves following an ankle injury that plagued his season last year.
“I’m excited,” Frederic said pre-game. “I’m just gonna get to the net, work hard and try to get them the puck as much as I can. Just enjoy it, it’s a great opportunity. To play one game with them would be awesome, so that’ll be cool.”
Draisaitl can speak from experience about how difficult it can be to rehab a high-ankle sprain like the one he suffered in the first round of the 2022 playoffs against the Kings, but he is looking forward to what Frederic can bring with a clean bill of health.
“I’m sure he feels a lot better,” Draisaitl said. “I will say though, with that specific injury, that it takes a long time. You got to give him time, you got to give him time into the season as well because that’s an injury that certainly lingers around for a while. So it’s just kind of nagging at you. He looks good, I think. Obviously, I’m sure he feels a lot more confident and comfortable within himself. So I’m looking forward to what he can bring to a group.”