Forward group is perfect. D are a mess, If Russell is top 4 and Bear on the 3rd pair playing 16 minutes a night, than we are in trouble

How would you line up the D?

Nurse - Bear
Jones - Larsson
Russell/Koekkoek - Barrie

There's no bona-fide top pair for this team, but a lefty-righty balance that has one "stable" guy and someone who can move/shoot the puck is as optimal as it gets for Edmonton.

A lot rides on Jones being able to contribute as a top-four defender this season. Bouchard probably sneaks in a dozen or so games in back-to-backs or when an injury pops up.

Bingo. this is exactly how.

Nurse - Bear
Jones - Larsson
Russell/Koekkoek - Barrie

Exactly like @BeterChiarelli

It’ll be interesting to see how they mesh with no clear #1. I wonder how the minutes get dispersed. Who besides Barrie gets PP1 time? PK time etc?

They haven't had a #1 since 2006. Quick glance at history suggests "not great".

Granted, the Oilers have often gone out of the way to ice literal coke machines on their blueline in some homage to the dead puck era. This is the most dynamic blueline they've iced in decades, and they should compliment Edmonton's transition game. Might have to be by means of firewagon hockey, but this blueline corps has the means to get the puck up the ice in a hurry for once.