Bold Lineup Change for Edmonton Oilers Ahead of Game 3

Edmonton Oilers head coach Kris Knoblauch calls it a "reset" for the speedy Ryan McLeod, as he is dropped from the lineup for Game 3 Monday night against the Dallas Stars in favor of Adam Henrique.

“Adam Henrique will be playing and Ryan McLeod will come out.” - Kris Knoblauch says it’s a chance to “reset” for McLeod. pic.twitter.com/oW8r6HWHaK
— Tom Gazzola (@TomGazzola) May 27, 2024

McLeod has zero points in 14 playoff games thus far, with a minus-5 rating. His time-on-ice dropped to a postseason low 11:03 in Game 2. But Knoblauch added that we will see McLeod again “sooner than later.”

Taking his speed out of the lineup is a bold move, but as noted by TSN's Oilers beat reporter Ryan Rishaug, McLeod's "compete level hasn’t been high enough, and he hasn’t produced offensively," and McLeod "needs this message sent".

As for Henrique, the 34-year-old hasn't played in two and a half weeks, missing eight straight games since he last appeared in Game 1 against the Vancouver Canucks. It's possible that his injury affected his performance in the first round, as he had just one goal and one assist in six games in their opening-round dispatch of the Los Angeles Kings and one contest against the Canucks.

He was acquired from the Anaheim Ducks at the trade deadline, but hasn't had the same impact with the Oilers that he was having earlier in the season.

The Oilers and Stars resume their series with two games in Edmonton, beginning with Game 3 Monday night, tied at one game apiece.