Five issues in February that the Edmonton Oilers need to address in order to regain their momentum.
Let’s begin with this: It shouldn’t come as a surprise to Edmonton Oilers fans that their team has experienced a decline following an exceptional 16-game winning streak, which stands as the second longest in the 107-year history of the National Hockey League. Since the team’s nine-day mid-season break at the end of January, they’ve been performing at an average level in February. Their record of 4-3-1, equivalent to .563, closely mirrors the “Bettman .500” standard (currently .553) within the given sample size. With 32 goals scored and 32 goals conceded, they’ve maintained a balance.
What’s surprising is that the Oilers have actually been scoring goals at a higher rate in February compared to their flawless 11-0-0 record in January. However, the issues they’ve faced during their recent downturn have primarily stemmed from defensive lapses. Here are five crucial areas of concern:
1. Defensive Restlessness:
If there’s one sequence that encapsulates the Oilers’ struggles in February, it might be the decisive play from their 6-5 overtime loss to the Boston Bruins on Wednesday night.
Let’s skip over the preceding problematic shift and focus on Bruins defenseman Charlie McAvoy positioned in the Edmonton slot with the puck on his stick. The only Oilers player in position to defend is Evander Kane.
