Insiders wonder about Oilers coach Mike Babcock’s ‘nuclear option’ decision with Connor McDavid, Leon Draisaitl

Mike Babcock is entering his first season with the Edmonton Oilers. Babcock has prior experience working with star players and has two stars to work with: Leon Draisaitl and Connor McDavid. Draisaitl is excited to be coached by Babcock this year.

Now, insiders are wondering about what Babcock is going to do with Draisaitl and McDavid, per Janson Duench and Jonas Siegel of The Athletic.

“Finding the exact balance of Connor McDavid and Leon Draisaitl has always been a challenge for Oilers coaches. One of Babcock’s most consequential choices in September will be whether they should drive separate lines, or team up for an unrivalled nuclear option,” the duo wrote.

Babcock had to make a similar decision when he was the coach of the Toronto Maple Leafs. He had Mitch Marner and Auston Matthews on the roster, and Babcock broke up the duo, playing them on two separate lines. That may not be the case with his powerful duo this time around.

“The problem with apart, and if you put (Ryan Nugent-Hopkins) in the mix too, and then (Jason) Dickinson, well there’s no ice time for anybody,” Babcock said.

Matthews and Marner, while much younger than the duo of McDavid and Draisaitl, a comparison that can be made. Neither Marner nor Matthews averaged 20-minutes of ice time in their time with Babcock. Last year, McDavid led forwards in average ice time, at 22:59 per game, while Draisaitl was fourth at 21:35.

The Oilers open camp in mid-September before their first preseason game against the Winnipeg Jets on September 19. They open the regular season on September 29 against the Vancouver Canucks.

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