When the Edmonton Oilers first entered this season, everyone had them as clear favorites for the playoff race. However, from the opening game, it was obvious that the franchise was clearly struggling with its form and dropping games.
While head coach Kris Knoblauch has tried multiple line changes to compensate for their struggles, nothing has worked out. This, however, has left fans and experts frustrated with the situation, and now a former NHL All-Star has also shared his thoughts on their play.
What Did This Former NHL All-Star Have To Say About the Oilers?
While the franchise entered the season with a lot of faith in them, so far, the Oilers have been unable to live up to the expectations of their fans. The absence of right-winger Zach Hyman has left their top line in shambles.
While Knoblauch believed that placing both Connor McDavid and Leon Draisaitl would help the team, the statistics suggest otherwise, with Edmonton accumulating multiple overtime losses. Many critics pointed out that the team was lacking that same grit that had previously taken them to back-to-back Stanley Cup Finals.
However, the latest critic who joined the fray on the Oilers’ horrible 9-1 thrashing by the Avs on Saturday was former D-man P.K. Subban. In a recent tweet, he mentioned that it is becoming increasingly complex for fans to watch the Oilers play nowadays.
He continued, “Win or lose…. The Oilers gotta wake up! Too many passengers!! Your best players always have to be your best players… But where is everyone else!??? Too many guys are comfortable!” This echoed what many others have already told the Oilers.
The franchise has been heavily dependent on the duo of Draisaitl and McDavid to take the load of driving the offense. Meanwhile, other names, such as Trent Frederic or Isaac Howard, have either been unable to be the team’s lightning rod or have not been given enough minutes by Knoblauch.
Subban, who previously played for the Canadiens, Predators, and Devils between 2009 and 2022, has faced Edmonton multiple times in his career. But the current state of the team seems lost on the blueliner.
“Oilers gotta get comfortable with the uncomfortable fast! Gotta pay a bigger price to have success! Execution, D-zone coverage, managing the clock, the game! Gotta be better! Tough to watch,” he posted on X.
However, while he has urged the supporting cast to play better, many believe that the rest of the team lacks what it takes to support McDavid and Draisaitl. Across the 17 games they have played so far, only McDavid has been able to go past the 20-point marker.
While Draisaitl (25) and Ryan Nugent-Hopkins (16) have followed suit, so far, things seem to be tough for the Oilers. For now, the only hope remains if Hyman’s return can flip the script on Edmonton’s season so far.
