Mathias Ekholm reveals Paul Coffey's strategy with Oilers' Defence
When the Oilers added franchise legend Paul Coffey to their coaching staff this November, everyone wondered how the hall-of-famer would be able to impact the team's struggling defence core.
So far, the results have been terrific. Since the coaching change, the Oilers have a record of 6-3, and there's notable improvements to the defence. Recently, Mathias Ekholm spoke about what Coffey's message is to the team, and how they're using his strategies.
He wants us to make plays in the rush, closing gaps, he wants us to give our forwards clear passes and not just flip it out when we're tired I really think that's the way to go.
With such talented forwards, this approach could work wonders for the Oilers. If their puck moving defencemen can hit their stars, or even speedy bottom six players, the team will be dominant on rush plays. However, the key to this strategy working lays on the poise of the defence - not panicking and flipping it out of the zone, or making a poor pass.
Paul Coffey undoubtedly knows what he's talking about when it comes to coaching defence. He's a four-time Stanley Cup Champion, three times with the Oilers, and amassed an amazing 1531 points over 1409 career games. With Coffey behind the bench, the Oilers are in good hands.
| POLL | ||
Do you think Coffey is making a good impact? | ||
| Yes, absolutely | 166 | 67.8 % |
| No, the players are turning it around | 39 | 15.9 % |
| Too early to say | 40 | 16.3 % |
| List of polls | ||
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