The Oilers lines at Saturday's practice at Boston University had Leon Draisaitl skating in the middle between Drake Caggiula and Ryan Strome. It would be the first game this season Draisaitl played centre.
"We're not getting enough out of players. Whether that's Leon and the centres or the wingers so we've got to try something else," said Oilers head coach Todd McLellan after practice, noting that Draisaitl will be in the middle to begin the game on Sunday but he reserved the right to shuffle things up if needed.
"You have to skate there and it might cut back some of the minutes for our other centremen and maybe that'll give them some more energy."
Draisaitl agreed with the coach's assessment.
"I don't really care. Right now it's just a matter of getting my game back together. It's not even close to being good enough right now," Draisaitl began. "There shouldn't be a huge difference but I think you have to do a little bit more skating at centre. It's just a matter of for myself getting my game back together."
BLOG: Draisaitl moving to the middle
Coach McLellan talks about shifting Draisaitl to centre and why tomorrow will be the first game this season he has done so
© Bruce Bennett
