Edmonton Oilers 2015-16 Report Card Thus Far

Teddy Purcell, C-

Gah. Teddy Purcell has not been my favorite this season, however, he is absolutely not the worst thing in the world. He’s on pace for a 47-point season, but there are concerns that we see in his play.

First off, it is inconsistent. Purcell will sometimes go out and have amazing games where he pots a goal and maybe an assist or two. However, others, he is an offensive mess. While he struggles, his back-checking is just horrendous and it is not fun to see at all, especially when you were expecting the winger from the Lightning to be among the best players for this roster.

Purcell’s minus-3 is a step up from a minus-33 last season, but he is no help out there on the ice at times. In fact, when he is not not he ice, it seems to help more in certain situations. However, as of late, his play has improved. He is shooting more and scoring, and he is finding ways to make plays. Maybe it’s because of the minutes we are giving him each game, and more time on the ice seems to be an incentive for him.

Keep in mind that while many are quick to bash Purcell and claim he is no good on this team, he is on pace for the best season of his career right now. With six goals and 14 assists this season, along with only four penalty minutes, he is playing a smart season thus far.