OilersNation has reported:

The Edmonton Oilers are weighing several forward combinations as winger Zach Hyman and centre Ryan Nugent-Hopkins approach returns from injury. Hyman joined the team for practice Friday for the first time since drawing into the opening-night lineup, but did not wear a regular practice jersey. Nugent-Hopkins is also expected to return soon.

The Oilers have started the season 3-0-1 despite missing two forwards described as elite players and central figures on the team. Friday’s practice lines were Vasily Podkolzin, Connor McDavid and Leon Draisaitl; Filip Hallander, Jason Dickinson and either Kasperi Kapanen or Hyman; Drake Formenton, Noah Michaels and Connor Joseph; and either Trent Frederic or Ben Jones, alongside David Tomasek Samanski and Isaac Howard.

Other injured forwards unavailable were Nugent-Hopkins, Colton Dach, Matt Savoie and Mattias Janmark. After Friday’s practice, Hallander made his first appearance against the San Jose Sharks. Edmonton acquired the Swedish forward from the Pittsburgh Penguins in exchange for defenceman Spencer Stastney. Apart from that change, the lineup was nearly the same as the group that beat the Anaheim Ducks on Wednesday.

One proposed arrangement keeps McDavid and Draisaitl together, with Podkolzin on their line. Hyman would join Nugent-Hopkins and Kapanen on the second line, while Hallander, Dickinson and Frederic would make up the third. Formenton, Michaels and Joseph would remain together on the fourth line, with Howard, Jones and Samanski as extras.

That option would place Hyman and Nugent-Hopkins on two-thirds of a second line. A remaining question is whether Nugent-Hopkins can still be effective as an NHL centre or might be better suited to the wing.

A second possibility moves Nugent-Hopkins and Hyman onto McDavid’s line, splitting up McDavid and Draisaitl. Podkolzin, Draisaitl and Kapanen would form the second line, followed by Dach, Dickinson and Frederic, then Formenton, Michaels and Joseph. Hallander, Howard, Samanski and Jones would be extra players.

Head coach Mike Babcock had said he planned to separate McDavid and Draisaitl for some road games, but injuries put those plans aside. In this version, Nugent-Hopkins returns to the wing, a position that may suit him better, and reunites with McDavid and Hyman. The alignment would also add size, with two big wingers alongside Draisaitl and Dach on the third line. Dach’s injury would have to be short-term for that option to be available.

A third configuration also splits McDavid and Draisaitl. Hallander would move up to McDavid’s line with Hyman, while Podkolzin, Draisaitl and Kapanen would form the second line. Nugent-Hopkins would centre Dickinson and Frederic on the third, with Formenton, Michaels and Joseph completing the forward group. Dach, Howard, Samanski and Jones would be extras.

Hallander could be used on any line, according to the proposed combinations. Pairing Nugent-Hopkins with Dickinson would create what the source describes as an elite shutdown line, and the option would give Edmonton another large lineup.

The Oilers’ added organizational depth gives Babcock more choices once the injured players are healthy. Quinn Hutson and Viljami Marjala are also performing well with the farm team in Bakersfield. The source characterizes this as one of the deepest Oilers teams ever.

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