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Oilers coach Todd McLellan sets out plans for promising third line of RNH, JP and JJ

This in from Edmonton Oilers coach Todd McLellan, his confirmation about the Oilers lines and defence pairings heading into training camp, and his take on Ryan Nugent-Hopkins’ role as a third line centre.

Earlier this week, Oilers GM Peter Chiarelli set out the opening line-up in an interview with TSN’s Bob McKenzie.

In his own interview with ace commentator Bob Stauffer of the Oilers, McLellan said RNH won’t be starting the year on a line with Connor McDavid, but will centre his own line. Chiarelli placed Jesse Puljujarvi and Jussi Jokinen on RNH’s wings on that line.

As for RNH playing with McDavid, McLellan said: “I don’t think you ever want to close the door on any option. I would say it is an option. It’s something that we’ve discussed, but not very much in depth right now. Nuge will start at centre. I feel comfortable with him at centre. I trust him down the centre ice position. I think he’s going to gave a tremendous year. He knows that he’s allowed to take a little more risk now and and look for a little more offence. There has to be others on that line he trusts on that defensively at some given point. But I would say never rule out anything, we did have him on the wing at the World Cup last year and he was very good at it, but I think his home position right now is centre ice and that’s where we’ll start him.”