Oilers media calls for Leon Draisaitl to be benched for selfish play
During the most recent battle of Alberta, the Oilers really struggled to put up a fight against the Calgary Flames. The Oilers just didn't seem to be in the game, and made way too many stupid mistakes that cost them the game.
One of these mistakes was Draisaitl's awful hooking call against Martin Pospisil in the second period that lead to a powerplay goal against. It was only one mistake in a game of mediocre play from the Oilers, but it was something that should be made an example out of.
Many Oilers fans took to the internet to show their displeasure with Leon's selfish plays and some even went as far as calling for him to be benched for the play. Oilers personality Mark Spector agrees with that sentiment, and obviously believes Draisiatl should be held accountable.
This should be a no brainer for training staff, as selfish play leading to a powerplay should always be punished. The question then is if Draisaitl and Mcdavid should be exempt from punishment due to their status on the team.
My belief is that no player in the NHL should be exempt form benching, no matter how much experience or skill they have. If you make a stupid decision, you should be punished accordingly no matter who you are, and a coach should never be scared to do that.
Knoblauch called Draisaitl's penalty unacceptable in the media, but seems to be accepting it by continuing to let Draisaitl play after an inexcusable lapse in judgement. Hockey is a team sport, and you aren't gonna win many important games by playing selfishly. Knoblauch cannot become complacent with these mistakes, or else it may be a short post-season for the Oilers.
| POLL | ||
Would you like to see superstars benched for egregious mistakes? | ||
| No, they know better and benching won't help | 197 | 34.9 % |
| Yes, they must be held accountable | 368 | 65.1 % |
| List of polls | ||
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