Edmonton Oilers Reporter call out McDavid and Draisaitl for doing too much

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Joshua Deeds
June 8, 2023 (10:39 PM)

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Edmonton Oilers Connor McDavid and Leon Draisaitl have been instrumental in leading their team to the playoffs once again.

Despite their reliable performances throughout the season, the team fell short of meeting the necessary metrics to defeat the Vegas Golden Knights.

Jay Woodcroft has a valuable asset in McDavid and Draisaitl, who excel in various aspects of the game, including on the PK, power-play, and 5x5.

However, it is arguable that relying too heavily on the duo could hinder the team's performance.

To optimize their utilization, Woodcroft and Ken Holland should focus on improving the team's defensive capabilities while possibly relieving McDavid of his PK duties.

While the tandem excels at 5x5, with McDavid ranking 3rd in 5x5 scoring 2.71 points per 60 minutes and Draisaitl ranking 17th with 2.41 per 60 minutes, their defensive stats do not match up. It will be challenging to advocate for selke nominations for them both, given their low GF% rankings.

Therefore, the Oilers, including McDavid and Draisaitl, need to prioritize improving their defensive skills before anything else. If this means reducing a shift for each player on the PK, the team may have to take this step to address the issue.