Reporter Claims Major Problem from Oilers Training Camp Will Cost the Team
Photo credit: Edmonton Journal
The Edmonton Oilers are looking to contend for the President's Trophy and the Stanley Cup, but last night they looked like a draft lottery team.
It's not unusual for the Oilers to have a stinker of a game on opening night, but it's a trend that's continued to cost the Oilers. Last year, poor goaltending and system changes cost Jay Woodcroft his job. This season, Oilers reporter Allan Mitchell is claiming their easygoing training camp and preseason could cost the team.
Mitchell likened this year's Oilers camp to the days of Dallas Eakins - which is a scathing review of a rough Oilers team. The Oilers really prioritized getting looks for young players and depth talent early in the preseason, and maybe had some lack of urgency with their NHL talent. It definitely looked like that could be the case in last night's 6-0 loss to the Jets.
Not only that, but the players were vocal about taking a more relaxed approach in the preseason. Connor McDavid entered camp saying he didn't want to wear himself out too early this year, and Corey Perry echoed the same by saying they can't win the Cup in October.
That may be true, but the points in these games still count, and often can matter at the end of the season when teams are jockeying for playoff positions. The Oilers should want to get home ice advantage in every playoff round with one of the best buildings in the NHL.
McDavid later told Knoblauch that he wanted to dial up the intensity and play out the last games of the preseason, but it might have been a little late. The Oilers need to kick it into high gear soon and get back to their game, and avoid a brutal start like last year that got their coach fired.
The Oilers will have a good opportunity to bounce back on Saturday Night against the rebuilding Chicago Blackhawks. If they lay another egg in that game, than noise may really start to develop about a subpar training camp.
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