The biggest concern around the Edmonton Oilers on Monday morning was the availability of centre Ryan Nugent-Hopkins, the most versatile of the team’s forwards, who was listed by head coach Kris Knoblauch as a “game-time decision” for Game 3.
“He’ll take warm up, and we’ll decide from there,” Knoblauch said.
Nugent-Hopkins is an integral part of the Oilers’ power play, and alongside Adam Henrique, he starts every penalty kill. And perhaps most importantly, he can adeptly move from Connor McDavid’s left wing to centre the second line, affording Knoblauch his nuclear option of playing McDavid and Leon Draisaitl together when trailing later in a game.
“Yeah, we don’t have as much versatility if we are missing a centreman,” Knoblauch admitted. “Centremen are so important just to move around,