Edmonton Oilers: Jordan Eberle Finding Touch at Right Time

With the playoffs starting Wednesday, the Edmonton Oilers are getting ready to head into the postseason for the first time in 11 years. Thankfully for them, everyone is starting to contribute.

Edmonton Oilers

Besides the first line, the second line has without a doubt been clicking. And one of the core players that has been gearing up for his first playoff appearance is Jordan Eberle. The 26-year-old had a hat trick in Sunday’s win, and finished the season on a four-game point streak, scoring six points over that span.

When it comes to playing a full season, Eberle put up 20 goals and 51 points, marking one of the lower-scoring years of his career. However, he proved to have a much stronger second half to the season, making a case that he is still one of the important parts of the forward lines.

Earlier this season, Eberle was struggling to score. He appeared sluggish, especially when put on the first line, and looked lazy at times. Through the earlier months, he often went on scoreless droughts and would appear disengaged.

Of course, the biggest problem Eberle has faced this season is his shooting accuracy. Eberle had trouble actually getting pucks on net, and in turn, finished the year with a 54.9 percent shooting accuracy. He only scored on about nine percent of his shots this season and finished with the worst shots-through percentage of his career.

However, when the Oilers started to finally click, Eberle picked up his play. He appeared faster on the rush and started to avoid fancy plays. Also, he would start to come out of his shell, making strong passes while also evaluating his space and time before he attempted random shots.

It may be a new mentality for Eberle, as he is trying to stay with this team and prove his worth to the organization. He is one of the longest-tenured players on the roster and is trying to show his value as a core winger. If he can carry this into the playoff, Edmonton will be an outstanding