So much for easing a rookie into the lineup. Edmonton Oilers forward Matt Savoie will start Wednesday night’s season-opening game on the second line alongside veterans Ryan Nugent-Hopkins and Andrew Mangiapane, and will see time on both the power play and penalty kill. Head coach Kris Knoblauch, who had talked during training camp of easing newcomers into the lineup, said after the National Hockey League team’s morning skate ahead of its 8 p.m. match against the Calgary Flames “there’s a fit” for the 21-year-old. “We’re not going to shelter him. I think he’s earned his time because he’s had a great camp and great exhibition games,” Knoblauch told media. “We’re giving him a lot of responsibilities.” That said, Knoblauch indicated he could distribute the minutes and offensive zone starts differently among the so-called lines two through four, centred by Nugent-Hopkins, Noah Philp and Adam Henrique. Philp, who spent most of last season in the minors but got into 15 NHL games, made the Oilers out of camp and will line up between wingers Vasily Podkolzin and Kasperi Kapanen. Henrique will centre a line with rookies Ike Howard and David Tomasek. “I could see the Philp line playing just as many minutes or more five on five, so is that our second line?” he said. “Or giving offensive zone starts to the Henrique line. With that offensive ability, I feel that possibly they can score probably the second-most goals out of our group, so is that our second line?” Regarding Savoie in shorthanded situations, Knoblauch said the winger showed promise in the preseason on the penalty kill and will be paired with Henrique on it. “He was one of the key penalty kill forwards in Bakersfield, and we want to give him that role,” the coach said. “From what we’ve seen, we want somebody who can break up plays, get up ice a little bit, and it’s nice to (also) have a little more threat offensively,” Knoblauch said. “You usually don’t have much threat on the penalty kill unless you have speed, and Savvy gives us some speed.” The Oilers’ opening-night lineup has some notable omissions due to injury, with the likes Zach Hyman, Jake Walman and Mattias Janmark nursing ailments and sitting out. Five of the 12 forwards either weren’t regulars or weren’t on the team last season, while Alec Regula draws into blueline duty after missing all of last season while injured. Long roadie follows opening pair at home The Oilers will play both their Canadian division rivals to start the NHL season before travelling east for a five-game jaunt over the following week and a half. Edmonton plays Calgary on Wednesday night and the Vancouver Canucks on Saturday at Rogers Place then leaves for the eastern road swing that starts in Manhattan on Tuesday against the New York Rangers. It continues against the New York Islanders (Oct. 16), the New Jersey Devils (Oct. 18), the Detroit Red WIngs (Oct. 19) and the Ottawa Senators (Oct. 21) before returning home to face the Montreal Canadiens on Oct. 23.
