As NHL Players prepare to play in the Olympics in their home countries, there is still a lot of talk in Edmonton. Leon Draisaitl’s comments his team’s play goes to halftime.
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The Oilers star was asked about his team’s performance following Edmonton’s 4-3 loss to the Calgary Flames, the team’s third in a row heading into the Olympic Break. Draisaitl called a spade a spade and said it wasn’t good enough.
“Giving up too many goals. I can’t defend. Killing penalties is not good. But there are many things that are part of it. It’s not enough yet,” Draisaitl told the media. “You need everybody. It starts with the coaches. Like everybody. Like, you’re never going to win if you have four or five guys going and it starts at the top; we can be better. Our leaders can be better.”
His comments following the February 5 game started an uproar in Edmonton. Some believe that those words should have been handled behind closed doors. Throwing everyone under the bus like that can do more harm than good.
However, those who follow the Oilers understand that what Leon Draisaitl said about their game was 100 percent. Not to mention that the Oilers are not the same team they were back in the Stanley Cup Finals.
“We’re a different team. We’re not the same team. Like, we’re not good right now. We’re not close. Like, we have to understand that,” Draisaitl added.
You are right. After seeing the Oilers play the Florida Panthers in the 2024 and 2025 Stanley Cup finals, this team isn’t even close to those teams. In fact, the Oilers’ depth isn’t as good as the team that lost Game 7 of 2024 by one goal to the Panthers.
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They have been worse in the middle and where it matters most, defensively. Just look at the players; due to cap issues in Edmonton, the Oilers have lost over the past two seasons: Cody Ceci, Vincent Desharnais, Viktor Arvidsson, Jeff Skinner, Ryan McLeod, Evander Kane, Corey Perry, John Klingberg, Connor Brown, Philip Broberg, Dylan Holloway, and the list goes on.
These were key players in the run to the Stanley Cup Finals in 2024 and 2025. Not to mention Paul Coffey, an assistant on Kris Knoblauch’s staff who has helped the Oilers play better defense than they are now.
Defense has been a problem for the Edmonton Oilers for years now. It was a big reason why Jack Campbell was sent to the minors and bought. There is an argument that Jay Woodcroft was fired because of this. It was the same thing that many people have been saying: The Edmonton Oilers need to play better defense to protect their goalies.
Scoring was part of the problem, but it wasn’t the only reason why the Edmonton Oilers lost twice to the Panthers in the Stanley Cup Finals. Yes, they needed their goaltender to stop pucks, but it was the breakdown that led to the Panthers scoring on time. It has extended to this season as well.
They just give up a lot of goals. Whether it was Stuart Skinner (now with the Pittsburgh Penguins), Calvin Pickard, Connor Ingram, or Tristan Jarry, the goal was rewarding all season long. Stuart Skinner was not the problem. Jarry’s trade was just a side move. It didn’t make the Oilers any better.
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But Leon Draisaitl is right: it’s a two-way street; they need to help their goalie, which helps the guys in front of the net.
“It’s consistent. Since we have to defend better, we have to make it easier for him, and I’m sure he can be a little bit better as well,” Leon Draisaitl added. “It’s two ways, but first we are in front of him, then the game becomes easier for him. But I think there are some saves that our players have to make at some point.”
The Edmonton Oilers must rally quickly coming out of the break. No more lollygagging time, or they could find themselves on the outside facing the Florida Panthers.
Leon Draisaitl needed to vent some frustration, but he told management that the team’s window was closing. It’s time they put together a better team. However, it is still up to everyone to do their part if the Edmonton Oilers are to succeed. That includes him.
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