After having 40 minutes of action to adjust without Draisaitl against Nashville, the Oilers will go with the same lines they finished with in their victory, including keeping Ryan Nugent-Hopkins on the wing of the second line with Jason Dickinson and Jack Roslovic.
Josh Samanski looks set for an elevated role on the third line between Vasily Podkolzin and Kasperi Kapanen, having impressed over his 11 career NHL games to earn the trust of the coaching staff to centre the third line and take on penalty-kill responsibilities.
Perhaps no one has impressed more during his rookie season than Matt Savoie, who has nine points in his last 10 games (2G, 7A) since the Olympic break and will look to bring more offence in a top-line role next to Connor McDavid and Zach Hyman.
“Continue to bring a lot of energy,” Savoie said. “Being a younger guy, that’s a big part of my game, making sure everyone’s upbeat and energized in the room. I think it’s when a guy like Leon goes down, it’s a collective effort that everyone needs to step up and give for or 10 percent more, and I’m excited. It’s a good opportunity for our group.”