Article content
This just in from the Edmonton Oilers, word from Leon Draisaitl that he’s a game-time decision.
“It’s an important time of year and we all want to be out there and be playing,” Draisaitl said.
Article content
“Feeling a little better today. Just see how I feel tonight. Just leave it at that.”
Ryan Rishaug of TSN added: “Game time decisions for both Henrique and Draisaitl according to Knoblauch. They’ll take warmup… No Draisaitl today on ice. Henrique is practicing in normal sweater… Carrick to take warmup in case either can’t go.”
Advertisement 2
Article content
My take
1. * Sigh.*
Draisaitl was playing inspired hockey in Game One against Vancouver before he got hurt. If he can’t play a solid two-way game, if his back is hurt and he’s unable to puck protect well, what can he bring at even strength? But so long as he can one-time the puck, he’s a huge part of Edmonton’s power play. Without his harpoon from the right dot, Edmonton could well struggle to score with the man advantage.
Perhaps the Oilers would move Ekholm to the top unit, putting pushing at the left dot to shoot one-timers, with Ryan Nugent-Hopkins on the right dot. The one-timer focus would then be on Bouchard on the right, not on anyone on the left. Ekholm also has a wicked shot so that might work, but it’s not optimal obviously.
Article content
Advertisement 3
Article content
2. Draisaitl was an offensive wonder when he played with a high-ankle sprain in the 2022 playoffs. He put up 32 points in 16 games. But if it is his back hurting him, that will seriously detract from his offensive game, as puck protection is so crucial to everything he does. That said, he’s a brilliant passer and shooter. If he can do those two things, he can help out on the attack.
He hurt the Oilers defensively in 2022, at least compared to what he was expected to bring. But, again, he’s a smart player. If he plays the wing and stays on the right side of his check, he can find a way to help out.
2. If he can indeed play, I’m betting Draisaitl would play on the wing wth Connor McDavid, let McDavid and Hyman do a lot of the heavy lifting.
Advertisement 4
Article content
3. The Oilers are already failing to generate much at even strength, as I wrote in a previous post today. To quickly summarize, all the top six forwards are struggling to generate much at even strength, save for Evander Kane.
Connor McDavid has been able to get off even strength Grade A shots at just one third the rate as he did in the regular season and he’s chipping in on scoring chance shots at less than half his regular season rate. Ryan Nugent-Hopkins‘ rate of Grade A shots is down to a third of what it was in the regular season. He too is contributing to about half as many Grade A shots now compared to the regular season. Ryan McLeod has yet to launch an even strength Grade A shot on net this playoffs.
In the regular season, Edmonton as a team created 12.3 Grade A shots per game at even strength. In the playoffs, the team is down to just 8.0 per game.
Advertisement 5
Article content
At the same time, Edmonton gave up 9.1 grade A shots per game in the regular season. In the playoffs, they are are giving up 9.2 per game. Their Grade A shots differential at even strength has dropped from +3.2 per game in the regular season to -1.2 in the playoffs.
4. If the Oilers forwards work like demons, backchecking should not be an issue, though a few of the Oilers d-men are struggling to make the right calls when it comes to pinching and have been painfully slow at times to get back into position after an offensive rush. Looking at you Cody Ceci for twice making such a lazy mental error, once on Connor Garland’s first period breakaway, a second time on Garland’s winning goal, when Ceci’s slow return left Darnell Nurse hanging. That’s not anywhere close to acceptable.
Advertisement 6
Article content
5. If Draisaitl can’t go, I’d love to see attacking pairs on the top lines, with Connor McDavid and Zach Hyman on the first line, and Ryan Nugent-Hopkins and Evander Kane on the second line, maybe filling in around them with Mattias Janmark, Connor Brown, Adam Henrique if he’s good to go, or even Sam Gagner. This would free up Edmonton to have a dynamic skating and passing third line of Warren Foegele, Dylan Holloway and Ryan McLeod.
How about this?
Henrique McDavid Hyman
Kane Nugent-Hopkins Brown/Gagner
Holloway McLeod Foegele
Janmark Ryan Perry
At the Cult of Hockey
STAPLES: Oilers reveal troublesome flaw
McCURDY: How the Oilers vs Canucks were made?
STAPLES: Another winger to get the McDavid bump; Draisaitl misses practice
STAPLES: How can the Edmonton Oilers rebound from cosmic stinker of a loss?
LEAVINS: Player grades in ugly loss to Vancouver
Article content