As NHL Gamers put together to play within the Olympics for his or her respective international locations, there may be nonetheless a variety of discuss in Edmonton about Leon Draisaitl’s feedback on his workforce’s efficiency heading into the break.
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The Oilers famous person was requested about his workforce’s play following Edmonton’s 4-3 loss to the Calgary Flames, the workforce’s third in a row heading into the Olympic Break. Draisaitl known as a spade a spade and mentioned it wasn’t adequate.
“Simply giving up too many targets. Can’t defend. Penalty kill isn’t nice. However there are various issues which can be a part of it. Simply not adequate proper now,” Draisaitl advised the media. “You want all people. It begins with coaches. Like all people. Like, you’re by no means going to win in case you have 4 or 5 guys going and it begins on the prime; we might be higher. Our leaders might be higher.”
His feedback following the February fifth sport began an uproar in Edmonton. Some believed these feedback ought to have been dealt with behind closed doorways. Throwing everybody beneath the bus like that would do extra hurt than good.
Nonetheless, those that observe the Oilers carefully perceive that what Leon Draisaitl mentioned about their play was one hundred pc spot on. To not point out what he mentioned in regards to the Oilers not being the identical workforce they had been once they went back-to-back within the Stanley Cup Finals.
“We’re a special workforce. We’re not the identical workforce. Like, we’re not nearly as good proper now. We’re not even shut. Like, we have to perceive that,” Draisaitl added.
He’s proper. Having seen the Oilers play the Florida Panthers within the 2024 and 2025 Stanley Cup Finals, this group isn’t even near these groups. As a matter of reality, the Oilers depth isn’t nearly as good because the workforce that misplaced in Sport 7 of 2024 by one objective to the Panthers.
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They’ve gotten worse down the center and the place it counts most, defensively. Simply take a look at the gamers; due to the cap points in Edmonton, the Oilers have misplaced during the last two offseasons: Cody Ceci, Vincent Desharnais, Viktor Arvidsson, Jeff Skinner, Ryan McLeod, Evander Kane, Corey Perry, John Klingberg, Connor Brown, Philip Broberg, Dylan Holloway, and the record goes on.
These had been key gamers within the run to the Stanley Cup Remaining in 2024 and 2025. To not point out Paul Coffey, an assistant on Kris Knoblauch’s employees who helped the Oilers play higher defence than they do now.
Protection has been a problem for the Edmonton Oilers for years now. It was an enormous purpose why Jack Campbell received despatched to the minors after which purchased out. There may be an argument that Jay Woodcroft was fired due to this. It has been the identical factor many individuals have been saying: the Edmonton Oilers have to play higher defence with a purpose to shield their goalies.
Goaltending was part of the issue, however it wasn’t the only real purpose why the Edmonton Oilers misplaced to the Panthers twice within the Stanley Cup Remaining. Sure, they wanted their goalie to cease some pucks, however the breakdowns that led to well timed targets for the Panthers did them in. It carried over into this season as nicely.
They’re simply giving up too many targets. Whether or not it was Stuart Skinner (now with the Pittsburgh Penguins), Calvin Pickard, Connor Ingram, or Tristan Jarry, the goaltending has been leaking targets all season. Stuart Skinner wasn’t the issue. The commerce for Jarry was only a lateral transfer. It didn’t make the Oilers higher.
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However Leon Draisaitl is correct: it’s a two-way road; they should assist their goalie, which, in flip, helps the blokes in entrance of the web.
“It goes hand in hand. Like we received to defend higher, we received to make it simpler on him, after which I’m certain he generally is a little bit higher too,” Leon Draisaitl added. “It’s a two-way road, however it begins with us in entrance of him, after which the sport turns into a little bit bit simpler for him. However I believe there’s saves that our goalies have to make sooner or later.”
The Edmonton Oilers need to get it collectively actually rapidly popping out of the break. There is no such thing as a extra time for lollygagging, or else they may discover themselves on the surface wanting in with the Florida Panthers.
Leon Draisaitl wanted to let off some frustration, however he put administration on discover that the window for this group is closing. It’s time for them to place collectively a greater group. Nonetheless, it is usually on everybody else to do their half if the Edmonton Oilers need to have success. That features himself.
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