Connor McDavid could see his short-handed role reduced as Mike Babcock reshapes Edmonton's special teams.
Stan Bowman refused to close the door on changing how McDavid and Leon Draisaitl are deployed, leaving those decisions with Babcock and his coaching staff.
There is an obvious reason to experiment. Edmonton finished 20th in the NHL with a 77.8% PK last season, leaving special teams as one of Babcock's clear repair jobs.
McDavid carried the fourth-most short-handed minutes among Oilers forwards. His speed creates offensive danger even down a man, but Edmonton now has more options for those shifts.
Draisaitl already handled a much lighter short-handed workload. The larger question is whether Edmonton should protect even more of its stars' energy for top-six and power-play assignments.
Ryan Shea gives Babcock another candidate after handling the third-most PK minutes among Pittsburgh defensemen last season, while Jason Dickinson and Connor Murphy bring previous experience in that role.
Connor McDavid and Leon Draisaitl could face major change under Mike Babcock
“At this point in August, I think it's kind of silly to close doors on anything,” said Bowman. “I think it's also really more of a coaching thing. I'm going to support Mike. DJ is going to run the kill, I think. It's really, how do they want to run it? “
Our power play has been great. Our penalty kill has not, but in previous years it was good. Those things can change year to year. Just because we didn't have a strong kill last year doesn't mean that it's not going to be strong this year.”
Bowman also pointed toward Savoie as another option, saying Edmonton has enough candidates for the coaches to build a different rotation rather than leaning on the same names.
The urgency grew during the postseason. Edmonton's PK operated at 50% against Anaheim, an ugly result that reinforced how much work is waiting for Babcock.
That doesn't mean McDavid needs to disappear from short-handed situations. Selective usage could still put him on the ice when his speed gives Edmonton a chance to pressure opponents.
It would also give depth players more ownership. Bowman's broader approach has emphasized building a team that doesn't need McDavid and Draisaitl carrying every responsibility.
That is where Dickinson, Shea and the rest of the supporting group can change the equation. If they earn Babcock's trust, Edmonton gains flexibility without weakening another area of the lineup.
The coaches are already reviewing those options and developing their plan, according to Bowman. Nothing about the special-teams deployment appears locked in during August.
For McDavid, fewer PK shifts wouldn't necessarily signal reduced importance. It could mean Babcock wants his best offensive player fresher for the situations where Edmonton needs him most.
Camp will show how far Babcock takes the idea. After a 77.8% season from the short-handed unit, sticking with the exact same formula would be the bigger surprise.
Should Mike Babcock reduce Connor McDavid's PK minutes this season?
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