Oilers Should Stay Away From 11-7 System Going Forward – The Hockey Writers Edmonton Oilers Latest News, Analysis & More

In recent years, it’s become increasingly common in the NHL for teams to enter games with 11 forwards and seven defencemen, instead of the traditional 12 forwards and six defencemen. This strategy is used to protect bottom-pairing defencemen who risk being exposed if given too much ice time.

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This system also allows coaches to distribute minutes pretty evenly throughout the top three forward lines. Edmonton Oilers fans have grown accustomed to it under former head coach Jay Woodcroft, and new head coach Kris Knoblauch used it on Monday versus the Los Angeles Kings. It worked, as the Oilers walked away with a 1-0 victory, which may mean we’ll see it more often going forward. That said, while there are some positives from implementing this system, it may do more harm than good.

11-7 Makes it Hard for Defencemen to Get in the Game

Most defencemen don’t prefer this lineup. While it won’t alter the minutes of the top four blueliners that much, it impacts the fifth, sixth, and seventh defencemen in a big way. We witnessed just that on Monday against the Kings.

Derek Ryan came out of the lineup on Monday in favour of defenceman Josh Brown. Brown, who was signed to a three-year deal this past offseason, has appeared in just six games this season. He was placed on waivers and assigned to the American Hockey League (AHL) before the 2024-25 campaign, but is back with the team after being recalled earlier this month.

In his first five games of the season, Brown was used scarcely, logging fewer than 14 minutes of ice time in each outing. That said, his ice time never dipped below the 10-minute mark, which helped him stay in the game. Playing any less makes it difficult for a player to put together a solid shift after sitting on the bench for lengthy stints.

On Monday, Brown was on the bench for most of the game, logging just 6:23 of ice time. The other defenceman who saw his minutes cut dramatically was Troy Stecher. The 30-year-old veteran has averaged just over 14 minutes per game this season but played just 6:54 on Monday night.

Again, it worked in this game, as the Oilers picked up their third shutout of the season. Going forward, however, this could be a recipe for disaster. Would any team feel comfortable throwing a defenceman on the ice in the third period, or perhaps overtime, against a strong team after he’s been sitting on the bench for nearly 90 percent of the game?

Playoff Teams Need Four Lines Rolling

This system also eliminates the fourth line. While fourth-line players don’t always get a ton of credit, they have a serious impact on the game. They help keep top players fresh and, more importantly, they are the best at grinding other teams down and shutting down top stars.

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Oilers fans witnessed that in the playoffs a season ago when the Florida Panthers had four strong lines that head coach Paul Maurice had full confidence in. Their fourth-line players weren’t stapled to the bench nearly as often as the Oilers’ were, and it kept their stars fresh. Having four lines rolling was one of the biggest reasons the Panthers knocked off the Oilers and hoisted the Stanley Cup.

Every now and again, we can understand why Knoblauch and other coaches choose the 11 and seven lineup. Over time, however, it can have adverse effects, which is why the Oilers can’t get too comfortable with it nor should they use it on a regular basis going forward.