EDMONTON — An elite top end, an overabundance of fringe wingers, and as usual, a big, fat question mark in goal.

As much change as Edmonton Oilers general manager Stan Bowman tried to inflict on his roster this past summer, training camp almost always opens the same way: With a new coach, the lingering question over whether Leon Draisaitl and Connor McDavid should play apart or together and a goaltending situation that is wide open to question.

They’re already setting the betting line here in Edmonton over whether or not new head coach Mike Babcock makes it past Christmas. But aside from the punters, it’s a complicated bet to assess an Oilers roster that will be shaped by a unique head coach who simply does things (good or bad) differently than those who have preceded him.

Does Babcock believe in starting games with McDavid and Draisaitl on his top line? Or do they present a lethal Plan B, to be utilized together when you’re trailing a game after two periods?

If they run their own lines, does Babcock even care that Draisaitl loves to have Vasily Podkolzin on his left side? Or will he deploy the hard-checking, speedy winger on his third line to even things out across his lines?

How will Babcock........

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