Roslovic will be promoted to the top line after recording three goals (two on the power play), four assists and a plus-3 rating in his last six games, averaging 18:39 of ice time with the Oilers playing primarily with Draisaitl and Vasily Podkolzin at even strength.
“Jack’s been playing really well, and we talk about whether those lines are playing against each other, and we want our best to play against their best,” Knoblauch said. “And right now, Jack’s been one of our best. He’s been contributing offensively, but also with his speed, breaking up plays with his stick and getting in just to disrupt those plays, which allows your better players to get those pucks too. So I think we had a lot of options.
“I know Podkolzin has spent some time with those two this year for a game and last year for a short stint, and Pods has been playing really well, but we just wanted to keep with the positions. Jack, being on the right, we felt that was the best option.”
Isaac Howard, David Tomasek and Matt Savoie will make up the fourth line, while Noah Philp will centre Adam Henrique and Trent Frederic on the third line to round out Edmonton’s bottom-six forwards.
Mattias Janmark and Zach Hyman both practiced during Saturday morning’s pre-game skate on the flanks of Curtis Lazar, who’ll be a healthy scratch against the Avalanche, with both forwards poised to make their returns to the lineup from respective injuries in the coming week.
Coach Knoblauch mentioned on Friday that Janmark is “very close” and could’ve played either tonight or Monday against the Columbus Blue Jackets, while Hyman is expected to be back within the week – likely on the Oilers’ upcoming seven-game road trip – after missing the first 15 games of the regular season recovering from wrist surgery back in May.
