Most Edmonton Oilers fans like to play along at home with the team’s management and coaching staff. That creates an interesting dynamic. Fans tend to be one of two types: analytics-oriented and math-based, or pure passion with a strong belief in what they think is right and wrong.

Meanwhile, general manager Stan Bowman and coach Kris Knoblauch are privy to a mountain of information not publicly available. That intel may include injury issues for individual players, advanced analytics beyond what fans can see, and wicked smart Michael Parkatti, the team’s senior director of analytics, to interpret the numbers.

So, when the coach decides on the starting lineup for Game 1 of the playoffs, many fans will react in a most negative way. Same as it ever was, made more searing by the advent of massive social media landing spots that allow grumbling whispers to rise to primal screams. Is the coach listening to the analytics staff? Why doesn’t he play that dandy crash-and-bang line more?

Before the coach delivers the playoff lineup, let’s look at what ideal might be for the Oilers. How creative will Knoblauch get?

The goaltenders

Over his last seven games, Connor Ingram’s save percentage is .919 at five-on-five and .923 overall. The overall total ranks No. 2 among NHL goaltenders since March 24, via Natural Stat Trick. Tristan Jarry is at .873 overall, and despite being acquired in a big December deal that placed him in a position to carry the load, it was Ingram who took the net in a pivotal Game 82 against the Vancouver Canucks on Thursday night.

Expect Ingram to start most of the playoff games, with Jarry seeing action in blowouts or when Ingram looks like he’s fading. Ironically, Bowman traded for his starting goaltender during the season, but it was Ingram coming over from the Utah Mammoth on Oct. 1 that ultimately solved the goaltending situation.

The defence

Adding veteran Connor Murphy at the trade deadline gave the team a shutdown defender and more of an edge. It also solved the second-pairing issue, one of the major areas of concern all year. In 289 minutes at five-on-five since he arrived, Murphy and Darnell Nurse own a 54 percent goal share (50 percent expected) and are playing major minutes. The duo is averaging 14:27 per game at five-on-five, compared to 14:32 played by the top pairing of Evan Bouchard and Mattias Ekholm. The dual force of those pairings allowed Knoblauch to fade the bottom pair (Jake Walman and Ty Emberson average 9:20 per game) down the stretch.

That will be the template for the playoffs, with No. 7 defenceman Spencer Stastney likely to be used only in an emergency. The Oilers didn’t get him much action in the final weeks of the season, and that may cost the organization if an injury occurs.

The centres

The key decision for Knoblauch up front will come at centre. Armed with a ridiculous 1-2 punch in Connor McDavid and Leon Draisaitl, Edmonton could own the puck often five-on-five in the heart of the game.  Jason Dickinson is likely to centre the third line, a checking unit that could see plenty of own-zone faceoffs at five-on-five. Those defensive-zone faceoffs have enormous importance in the postseason, and the Oilers have a mountain of centres on the roster. Here’s how the faceoffs broke down this season:

Numbers include all game states, via Natural Stat Trick

The wingers

On Thursday night versus Vancouver, the Oilers welcomed back Zach Hyman from his time on the injured list. Hyman stepped right back into his role on the No. 1 line with McDavid and Matt Savoie. The line scorched Vancouver, with Savoie scoring three in the first period alone.

Draisaitl wasn’t on the ice Thursday night, but had a good day of practice, and there’s anticipation that he’ll be ready sometime during the first round of the postseason. His likely wingers are two of Nugent-Hopkins, Roslovic and Podkolzin when he returns. There is room for a more creative solution. More in a minute.

The third line centre is Dickinson, and it’s possible emerging agitators Trent Frederic and Colton Dach line up with him. Henrique, Lazar and Josh Samanski (who is a quality suppression centre despite being a rookie) are all candidates for the fourth line, with Kasperi Kapanen and Max Jones possible wingers.

Penalty killing

When factoring in the forwards on both the third and fourth lines, the coaching staff has to make sure there are enough trusted penalty killers. Knoblauch’s PK men since the deadline include Dickinson (1:51 per game), Kapanen (1:43), Savoie (1:40), Henrique (1:36), Nugent-Hopkins (54 seconds), McDavid (39 seconds) and Samanski (34 seconds).

Areas of concern

There are players on the roster who are inconsistent. Kapanen is prone to long stretches of mediocre play, and Roslovic has the reputation for being a streaky scorer. Frederic appears to have found new life on a depth line with rookie winger Dach, but the Oilers need the veteran to move the needle a little more defensively.

Kapanen could be a key player if he can revive his fine play from earlier in the season. The Podkolzin-Draisaitl-Kapanen line scored 5.1 goals per 60 and delivered 80 percent of the goals at five-on-five in 141 minutes. It’s been some time since fans saw the version of Kapanen who could serve in that role, especially offensively.

If Knoblauch can complement his top line (Savoie-McDavid-Hyman) and the reunited Draisaitl line, it could set the stage for the rarest of all things for the Oilers: A significant scoring line after McDavid and Draisaitl’s shifts.

Knoblauch has had a challenging year, partly due to a lack of creativity. If the coaching staff decides to run Savoie-McDavid-Hyman, and then Podkolzin-Draisaitl-Kapanen, the third line would have all manner of skill options, beginning with Nugent-Hopkins and Roslovic. Nugent-Hopkins doesn’t push the river at five-on-five, but he might have more scoring success when playing against softer competition.

Based on what we’ve seen in recent days, Dach and Frederic will play on an old-fashioned grit trio (probably with Henrique) on the fourth line. Dach is especially emerging as a significant player as the regular season gives way to the playoffs.

Bottom line

Knoblauch has enough offensive firepower and physical fury to turn the third and fourth lines into difference-makers. It’s been a long time since an Edmonton coach has had the option to run a genuinely skilled third line.