How can the Edmonton Oilers solve their predicament at No. 3 centre?

Five years ago, I wrote an article at The Athletic with the title “Could Oilers’ lack of centre depth mean postseason roster shuffle?” that returned an unusual query. An individual who worked for an NHL team at the time checked in on me to make sure I was OK. The mere idea that one could look at a roster with the likes of Connor McDavid, Leon Draisaitl and Ryan Nugent-Hopkins at the pivot position and conclude a shortage was beyond the pale for that hockey professional.

It sounds ridiculous, but the issue remains these years later. The Oilers have three great centres, but refuse to run all of them up the middle. A long list of Oilers coaches have resisted the idea of playing Nugent-Hopkins at No. 3 centre because he’s far too valuable. His utility has been a welcome skill set on the Draisaitl line (famously with Kailer Yamamoto from January to March 2020) and on the McDavid line (for the last several seasons). When he plays centre, it’s most often as the 2C when McDavid and Draisaitl are deployed together on a supernova No. 1 line.

The Oilers’ third-line centre job requires a player to outscore at five-on-five, suppress opponents’ scoring chances on the penalty kill and win faceoffs in the defensive zone when called upon. That’s a tall order, and all three of those items are important to the organization.

Jack Roslovic is the current No. 3 centre. He’s good on faceoffs and is a solid offensive performer. However, his line (away from the top two centres) is 41 percent, with a 1.56 goals per 60 in 345 five-on-five minutes, via Natural Stat Trick. Management may want a more rugged player for third-line centre, and definitely needs better results.

Past successes

The Oilers have enjoyed some success in deploying third-line centres during the McDavid-Draisaitl era. Mark Letestu brought quality penalty-killing and faceoff skills to Edmonton, while homegrown talent Ryan McLeod was effective as a five-on-five scorer, outscorer, plus penalty kill, and only a little shy in the faceoff circle.

Adam Henrique came over in a deadline deal in March 2024 and played so well that he earned a two-year contract that expires this summer. The 2024-25 season was uneven but had some bright spots (48 percent goal share for an Edmonton No. 3 centre represents success), but his offence left him once joining the Oilers.

It’s a story old as time, or so it seems. Given long periods of inactivity at five-on-five, Oilers third-line centres have had a tough time of it since McDavid’s rookie year in 2015-16.

The most successful third-line centres over the past decade were Nugent-Hopkins in 2018-19 (over 700 minutes away from McDavid and Draisaitl, 47 percent five-on-five goal share); McLeod in 2022-23 (579 minutes on the third line, 53 percent goal share); McLeod the following year (48 percent success rate in significant minutes); Henrique in 2024-25 (898 minutes and 45 percent of the goals).

It isn’t a spectacular list, but it does represent the best third-line centres of the McDavid era (Letestu’s 2016-17, at 56 percent, would rank as the top season). What’s the best way for the Oilers to get there?

A deadline deal? 

Edmonton has to make a choice by the deadline. There’s no cap room, so it’s dollars in for dollars out for the team. The club needs a right-handed second-pairing defenceman and a winger with size, along with a (preferably) right-handed centre. There’s no way to address all three areas of the roster effectively.

That may mean checking down to a current roster player at one or more of the positions. Jake Walman may be asked to handle the second pair, but he would be playing his off-side, and Walman is injury-prone. Oilers general manager Stan Bowman is likely to acquire a defender.

The big forward may have to wait until summer. Based on current roster construction and the presence of smaller skill winger Ike Howard in the minors, another small forward (Matt Savoie) may exit via trade. That could come at this year’s deadline, but it’s more likely a summer deal. Assuming management spends assets on a defenceman, where does that leave things at No. 3 centre?

Henrique, Lazar and Samanski

Nugent-Hopkins is a solid centre, but the Oilers haven’t used him there in a third-line role very often since 2011. Assuming the practice continues, and running the risk of once again offending the hockey industry by suggesting the team is thin at centre, Edmonton needs a third-line pivot.

Henrique will play Wednesday night against the Anaheim Ducks, and is likely to play centre through the deadline and beyond. Other internal options include Roslovic, plus Curtis Lazar and Josh Samanski, two very different talents.

Henrique has played away from McDavid-Draisaitl a total of 449 minutes this season. The results have been poor: the line is scoring 1.34 goals per 60 and owns a 32 percent goal share. Henrique is now healthy, and the team needs him, but if the results between now and the deadline for his line remain poor, coach Kris Knoblauch will look elsewhere for a solution.

Lazar looks healthy and is getting good results. That’s a rare thing for an Edmonton depth centre this season. What’s more, he has been successful with Trent Frederic, the Oilers’ rugged summer signing who’s experiencing a wayward season. Lazar’s line (267 minutes) averages 1.67 goals per 60 and is at 44 percent goal share. Lazar-Frederic has not been scored on five-on-five in 116 minutes this season.

Samanski is posting eye-popping totals, albeit in a small sample. In 46 minutes at five-on-five without the top two centres, his line is scoring 5.24 goals per 60 with a 57 percent share of the goals. Even if those numbers regress (which is likely), the rookie forward is delivering at an impressive clip.

Bottom line

The Oilers might make a deal for centres such as Nazem Kadri or Vincent Trocheck, or even winger Bobby McMann at the deadline, but defence seems to be the top priority based on the clues dropped by the team in recent days.

Fans should look for Nugent-Hopkins on the McDavid line, and Draisaitl centring the best second line on the planet. After that, Roslovic may hold serve over Henrique, or they could play on the third line together. It would give Edmonton a left-handed and right-handed centre for faceoffs with strong side advantage available for every battle. Lazar and Samanski could do the same thing on the fourth line, teaming up and delivering quality minutes.

If Knoblauch decides Roslovic lacks the range to play centre on the third line, and Henrique doesn’t step in to the role, Lazar is a nice depth piece who could slide in. Samanski would be a last chance call due to his inexperience, but those numbers are strong despite the small sample.

Always bet on the veterans who have played in that spot previously, but Lazar and Samanski are both intriguing options. Long term, Samanski could be a real find.