P.K. Subban, a former NHL all-star defenseman, believes the Edmonton Oilers’ defense isn’t strong enough.
“I truly enjoy seeing Edmonton play! In their own zone, they are simply too simple to play against. The emphasis on Leon, McDavid, and other superhero offenses is too great to always get the job done.
Your defense must be the difference in close games. You saw what transpired with Vegas the previous season. Yes, Jack Eichel is an incredible player and an X factor, but their toughness as a team, defensive system, and goaltending allowed them to win the Cup. Not only ability and aptitude. 🤷🏿♂️ but anything can occur, really.
Subban went on: “Like everyone else, I thought going into the season that Edmonton would be a Stanley Cup contender.”
That’s my assessment of them! Two of the greatest players in the world, who have dominated the league since joining it, are forced to settle for team success that is only mediocre. I won’t abandon you just because you’re having a winning streak in games.
Folks, this is a long season. Plenty of parity in the league, no easy games. On certain nights, your defensive structure must be trusted to win you games. I must consistently observe that. It matters how you win, and habits matter. 🤷🏿♂️ The Stanley Cup, not winning streaks, is what matters. In life, timing is everything. I wholeheartedly concurred with everything Subban stated here three weeks ago. Over the previous few weeks,
Edmonton has been playing better defensive hockey than it has in the McDavid Era as the Oilers have amassed a 12-game winning streak, which includes five consecutive come-from-behind victories. The team has a fantastic goals against average during this one-month stretch of play, averaging just 1.75 goals against over just 21 goals in 12 games.
With 1.75 goals against average over the past month, Edmonton is second in the NHL, only surpassed by the Winnipeg Jets’ 1.52 goals against average over 13 games.
