BLOG: Henrique excited to rekindle chemistry with Brown & Janmark

EDMONTON, AB – Forward Adam Henrique can joke all he wants about the pain of sitting between Mattias Janmark and Connor Brown on the bench, but he isn't masking his excitement to be back alongside them in Oil Country for another crack at lifting the Stanley Cup in 2024-25.

“Oh, it's great,” Henrique said after Tuesday’s practice with a smirk on his face and a bit of sarcasm in his voice. “I’m taking Advil every day before coming in and I get to listen to them through the left and right ears. They’re going to need earplugs on the bench.

“They're always going on about something.”

Truth be told, Henrique was overjoyed this offseason to find out that his linemates would be making their way back to Oil Country to join him after he himself signed a two-year, $3 million AAV contract to remain in Edmonton following three-and-a-half months in an Oilers uniform as a trade-deadline reinforcement from the Anaheim Ducks.

The trio kept in regular correspondence over the days that followed their side's Game 7 defeat to the Florida Panthers in the Stanley Cup Final, which was quickly followed by NHL Free Agency where all three of the forwards were slated to hit the open market. But they always hoped they could reunite in Royal Blue and continue their chemistry as a third line that made major waves down the stretch of the regular season and into the playoffs.

Luckily, their wishes were granted.

“It's a lot of fun,” Henrique continued. “Through the summer, we all kind of chatted and we different reasons for wanting to come back, but I think everybody was happy and excited how things kind of played out through free agency. Getting back with this group, everybody's really excited for the season.”

Head Coach Kris Knoblauch didn't want to hold out too much hope that all three of Henrique, Janmark and Brown would all be back in an Oilers uniform considering the nature of free agency. But judging by where the Blue & Orange went last season and their hopes to get back to the Final in '24-25, the motivations of the players to come back to Edmonton said it all.

"I thought we were going to get probably one of the three," Knoblauch said. "I thought we'd get lucky if we had two of the three, but the fact that we were able to sign all three of them, I'm very fortunate and I think all three of them are very focused and passionate about having success, being on a winning team and the possibility of winning the Stanley Cup.

"They also like being in Edmonton. They enjoy being here and they could have went to other teams – teams that also would have paid them more – But with everything for them to decide, they chose Edmonton, which we're very fortunate that they did."

Considering last year's success, Knoblauch doesn't have any interest in moving Henrique away from third-line centre or replacing either one of them on that line. Janmark, Henrique and Brown will be Edmonton's third that to begin the season, Knoblauch confirmed, barring any hiccups during Training Camp or preseason.

"Right now, it looks like his role will be third-line centre and that's something that we're pretty certain of," Knoblauch said. "I think if you look at our three centremen, I think they're pretty locked up and that's a decision that we're going to be making going into the regular season.

"Last year, when he came here, we weren't quite sure where he’d fit in, whether he would play in the top six on the left side or third-line centre. Through the playoffs, his injury kind of affected where he was in the lineup. But right now, for him to start, that's his role and we like how that line played in the playoffs. We will start with that and hopefully, they can pick up where they left off.

For Henrique, the standard in Edmonton that he'd observed as both a member of the opposition in Anaheim and as an Oilers player made Oil Country the only option.

"I think it's been there for years," he said. "You could always sense that around the league coming in here and playing these guys. The goal is just to win. That's it. I think everybody's on the same page and I think taking that step of getting closer, playing in the finals and gaining that experience for a lot of guys is important. Now we've got to get back there and that's the goal from day one. That's what we're working towards."

Henrique mentioned on Tuesday how he and his linemates found almost instant chemistry with their combination of speed, quick thinking and skill with the puck, which proved fruitful for the Oilers when it mattered most during the business end of last year’s incredible campaign.

Henrique had played with Brown before during the World Championships with Team Canada in 2020, while Janmark’s versatility as a fast, two-way forward immediately gelled with the Canadian duo. On the penalty kill, the Swede’s prowess showed itself as a major positive on a number of occasions next to Brown, including two short-handed goals in the 2024 Stanley Cup Playoffs.

“Sometimes it takes some time,” Henrique said of the line's chemistry. “Brownie and I played together at World Championships, so we knew each other a little bit. I think that helped the two of us kind of understand each other. And I think Janny's game can fit in with a lot of guys. I think he plays a hard, simple game, so I think to have that combination between all three of us would be something that once we got it put together, we were able to find that consistency.

“For us as a line, that’s hopefully going to be what we’re able to provide everywhere for the group – chipping in offensively, responsible on both sides of the puck and that sort of thing. Hopefully, we can be a spark when needed.”

Henrique is also in that category of capable penalty-killers who can make a big impact in that area this season.

“That's always been a part of my game,” he said. “I think finding the pairs to work with is always important for the group that's on the kill. Janny and Brownie on the kill together I think probably helped us at five on five. So again, just kind of continue to work on those sorts of things and as a group, that's something that will be a big part of our game and as a team as well.”