The Edmonton Oilers' "death by a thousand cuts"
Launched as co-favorites for the NHL title, the Edmonton Oilers are off to a start to the season that has the field hockey world in awe. The ingredients: A catastrophic scoring record, an inexplicable drop in form by Leon Draisaitl and a new addition who is still not working at all.
Before the start of the season, the Edmonton Oilers were among the favorites to win the NHL title. Of course. As in previous years, the team has the two best forwards in the league. Cologne-born Leon Draisaitl collected 128 points (goals plus assists) last season, while teammate Connor McDavid even scored 153.
However, the brilliance in offense has not yet turned out to be a title guarantee. The Oilers failed to beat the eventual champions in both 2022 and 2023. At the end of last season, when asked about expectations, McDavid replied: "It's cup or bust, right?" The championship cup, or bust.
At the moment, it looks more like bust. After eleven games, the Oilers are in second-last place in the Western Conference. They have just two wins to their name. "The team is intact, I have no doubt about that. The important thing now is to develop more penetration as quickly as possible. We know that we can do better and we're continuing to work hard to improve soon. ", Leon Draisaitl is optimistic after the defeat against the Nashville Predators. Connor McDavid sounds much more dramatic: "It's like a death by a thousand cuts right now. That's what it feels like. One mistake in a game is often costly for us. It's hard to win games like that."
Oilers legend comes to Draisaitl's defense
The team's offense is anything but inspiring. Captain McDavid was out injured for a few days at the end of October and still looks as if he is not yet back to 100 percent. He remains without a goal in the last six games. Draisaitl has even gone seven games without a goal. On Monday night, he finally scored against the Vancouver Canucks. However, another scene is emblematic of the current situation. In the same scene, Draisaitl and McDavid earn themselves a timeout in the penalty box, and five minutes later, coach Woodcroft is also ejected. The game is lost. However, it seems clear to everyone in Edmonton that McDavid and Draisaitl are part of the solution rather than part of the problem. "Unfortunately, the two best players in the world can't win alone," said Mark Messier in an interview with Sportsnet. The former captain dominated the league with the team in the 1980s. Between 1984 and 1990, the Oilers won the Stanley Cup five times, and Messier played alongside ice hockey icon Wayne Gretzky until 1988. Since then, the franchise has been eagerly awaiting another title win.
"Drunk teenagers"
Messier criticizes the attitude of the players, especially in defence. The goal difference is the second worst in the entire league. Few sports phrases are used as inflationary as "Defense wins championships", which is partly because it is the truth. The 47 goals the Oilers have conceded to this point can only be beaten by the San Jose Sharks (55). The Edmonton Journal compares the team's defense to "drunken teenagers trying to find their way out of a cornfield maze."
The solution to defensive problems should already be on the roster. Last year, goaltender Jack Campbell joined the team from the Toronto Maple Leafs. But instead of becoming the Canadiens' new anchor, his 87 percent save percentage is the worst he's ever had in an NHL season. First, he has to share the goal with Stuart Skinner, who was actually drafted as the clear number two. Recently, the Oilers even moved him to the reserve team.
Could soon be all to play for
So the co-favorite for the title staggers from defeat to defeat and the field hockey world stands by, puzzled. ESPN sums up the Oilers season so far as "unfathomable". Coach Jay Woodcraft repeatedly emphasizes after the loss to Nashville that the entire team is underperforming. Time is of the essence.
The next few weeks are all about the playoffs, Jay Woodcraft's job, and possibly even the franchise's outlook as a whole. Edmonton needs to show Draisaitl and McDavid that they can win here, the superstars need to show that they are the right players to do so. "It's cup or bust, right?"
After the disappointing start to the season, Leon Draisaitl is still hopeful, stating, "We know that we can do better and we're continuing to work hard to improve soon." Despite his personal slump, having gone seven games without a goal, the team heavily relies on his and Connor McDavid's offensive talents, as shown in their impressive point totals from last season. In the NHL, the Edmonton Oilers, with their star players, aim to turn around their current performance in the league and live up to their co-favorite title potential, a challenge that lies ahead as they continue in the NHL.
Source: www.ntv.de
