What’s behind the Oilers’ recent turnaround?
By Phil Gretzky
The Edmonton Oilers are starting to play a lot better as a team. What is the reason? Lets take a look as to why this turnaround has happened?
A couple of lapses by the skaters and Stuart Skinner having an off night may have contributed to the Oilers’ 7-4 loss to Tampa Bay, but let’s face it, 8-1-0 in the past nine games is still very good.
So what’s behind the recent turnaround the Oilers have been on? Several factors have gone into them, let’s look at them now:
1) Edmonton Oilers Health
Some players started the season or missed time while injured, which affected the team. Connor McDavid, Leon Draisaitl, Evander Kane, Mattias Ekholm, Darnell Nurse, and Ryan Mcleod all were either playing injured or missed time at the start of the season. I don’t care which team you’re on, when that much of your core plus a key role player is struggling health-wise, it’s bound to affect your team.
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All of these players are now back up to 100 percent health and it’s obvious in their play. The Mcdrai duo – who weren’t in the top 100 in NHL scoring a month ago, are now in either the top 10 (McDavid, sixth in the league) or top 20 (Draisaitl, 20th in the league). That’s quite a turnaround.
Kane has seen his role reduced in the last game or two, but he was leading the league in hits earlier this season. Ekholm missed all of training camp, as did Mcleod – easily a top-two player in the bottom-six forward group.
Although Ekholm’s partner Evan Bouchard was still rolling offensively at the beginning of the season, we saw the effect it had on him defensively when his partner was at reduced capacity, and it wasn’t good.
Regardless of what the idiotic haters will say, Darnell Nurse plays a huge role on this team and if you’re not too busy hammering him with false accusations, you can see how it affects the team when he’s not able to play at his best.
McDavid missed two games earlier in the season, and he’s looking like his old self as that extra gear he’s known for is back and he’s scoring dazzling goals for us once more.
Improved team health is a big reason for the turnaround.