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Yes, Yamamoto has just 2 points in 12 games and Puljujarvi has just 1 point in 11 games, which isn’t what one would hope for either. But when it comes to their two-way play — as measured by their major contributions to Grade A scoring chances compared to their major mistakes on Grade A chances against — Puljujarvi and Yamamoto are middle of the pack on the wing for the Oilers. They are doing better than all of Kassian, Lucic and Drake Caggiula.

At centre, Brodziak hasn’t gotten the job done on defence or on the attack.



Who should the Oilers play?

There has plenty of talk that the Oilers lack depth, but the fact is that a number of players have been doing well on the attack in Bakersfield of the AHL, including Cooper Marody, Tyler Benson and Cameron Hebig. Marody also looked strong in his brief stint with the Oilers.

So what to do?

Connor McDavid, Ryan Nugent-Hopkins and Ty Rattie make sense as a top line.

Leon Draisaitl, Alex Chiasson and Tobias Rieder also make sense as the second line.

As for the other two lines, how about going with Ryan Strome, Drake Caggiula and Milan Lucic on one line, then gamble with a Kid Line for a few games, some combination of Cooper Marody at centre with Puljujarvi, Yamamoto, Hebig or Tyler Benson?

Brodziak, Kassian and Khaira can sit.

I know that Brodziak, Kassian and Khaira all kill penalties, but you can get that job done with RNH, Rieder, Strome and some combination of McDavid, Draisaitl, Chiasson and Yamamoto.