On Friday, McLellan touched on the impact of uniting McDavid and Draisaitl, and whether he would keep them together going forward.
"A lot of it will depend on the rest of the group as well," said McLellan. "We can't just be a one line team; we have to have everybody up and running. I think Drake (Caggiula) is becoming more and more comfortable at the NHL level now that he's got his games underneath him, so that gives us a little more comfort in taking Leon and putting him on the wing. But everybody has to be performing and sometimes it's matchups and what we get thrown our way."
McLellan said he spoke to both McDavid and Draisaitl before Thursday's game about playing together, mentioning that they may not necessarily end the game on the same line. Fortunately, that wasn't the case.
The tandem also provides an added layer of defensive awareness to a line.
"What ends up happening is sometimes you have a little security there, too, because they both understand how to play low in the D-zone. The first guy back can assume that position, they're used to being there. There's a security blanket there."
With a new opponent comes new challenges. McLellan noted that each game is different and adaptations may have to be made, including on Saturday when the Anaheim Ducks enter Rogers Place.
"You have to be prepared to change," he said. "Each night presents you with different problems and you have to react to it."
The Oilers are a single point back of the first-place San Jose Sharks in the Pacific Division.
