The Edmonton Oilers fell to the Detroit Red Wings on Sunday afternoon. Edmonton got goals from Noah Philp and Leon Draisaitl, but had issues stopping Detroit's first line. Dylan Larkin and Emmitt Finnie each scored twice as the Red Wings won their fifth straight contest.
This is the third straight loss for Edmonton. They entered this season looking to make the Stanley Cup Final once again. And the Oilers signed Connor McDavid to a new contract before the year began. The vibes were quite positive in Alberta a few weeks back. Now, some concerns are showing.
Edmonton has struggled to begin the last few seasons, to be fair. However, they haven't struggled in this manner. Draisaitl identified a surprising area the team is struggling with. And it could create some added concern if they don't address things soon.
“I think we’re playing fine defensively, we’re just not scoring enough, and some of that is me,” Draisaitl said, via NHL.com. “There is a different dynamic to the team when the top guys are feeling it, and I’m not there. I need to look in the mirror.”
Oilers need more offense from Leon Draisaitl, others
The Oilers have been one of the best offenses in the NHL over the last few seasons. Having Draisaitl and McDavid on the same roster certainly helps. Defenseman Evan Bouchard has also shown the ability to score, especially in the Stanley Cup Playoffs.
This year, though, they have not had their usual scoring touch. Edmonton has just 15 goals on the year, ranking them fifth in their division. Furthermore, they rank 26th in the league in terms of Goals For Per 60 Minutes, according to Evolving Hockey. This is in spite of their ranking fifth in Shots For Per 60 Minutes and Expected Goals For Per 60 Minutes.
This team is too talented offensively to struggle for an extended period. However, Draisaitl isn't entirely wrong to point to their offense as an issue. It will be interesting to see if they can get back on track when they take on the Ottawa Senators on Tuesday night.
