Edmonton Oilers: Dave Tippett acknowledges the obvious main problem

It’s only been a handful of games so far this season and the Edmonton Oilers are on the outside looking in. No, it’s not time to hit the panic button just yet but at the end of the day, it’s easy to see a few of the bigger problems the Oilers have been having. One of which is something that head coach David Tippett recently addressed as his Oilers were hit with another loss this season.

In an article written by Rory Boylen for Sportsnet, Tippett has confirmed the obvious main problem the Oilers have:

“I think we can shoot the puck more and we’re looking for some harder goals. We’re overpassing it and not getting enough sustained time in the offensive zone.”

Yep, you guessed it, ladies and gentlemen, it’s all about a lack of scoring. This also stems from the woes the Oilers have been facing when it comes to Power Play situations but in the grand scheme of things, Tippett is 100 percent right in his early assessment of the team. If there is one thing to know about hockey is that it’s all about the stats and well, Tippett knows that when compared to other teams, the Oilers are falling short where it matters most.

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The Edmonton Oilers need to go back to offensive basics

Please keep in mind that it’s still very early in the season but as of right now, the Oilers have 138 shots on goal but only a 7.2 percent shooting percentage.

Compared to the rest of the NHL, teams are averaging 85 shots on goal but have a higher shooting percentage at 9.6. That’s where the main discrepancy lies as the Oilers are simply not spending enough time on offense and then go into catchup mode and so far, that hasn’t worked out at all for them.

The Oilers need to score first, score fast, and actually build up more leads if they want to turn things around in their favor. That all starts by fixing their Power Play woes which will come with time. Considering they have had 18 Power Play opportunities and only capitalized on two, says that brushing up on offensive tactics and execution should be the highest priority for Tippett to focus on.

What has happened to the best team in the NHL last season when it came to Power Play execution? Your guess is as good as mine but time heals all. In this case, here’s to hoping it’s just early-season jitters and that over time in practice, the Oilers awaken that offensive beast again. Even if it takes going back to offensive basics in practice, something needs to change now before it’s too late. Hopefully, the Oilers catch it just in the nick of time to turn things around for the better sooner rather than later.