{"id":122575,"date":"2021-12-16T16:01:04","date_gmt":"2021-12-16T21:01:04","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/hockey\/?p=122575"},"modified":"2021-12-16T16:01:04","modified_gmt":"2021-12-16T21:01:04","slug":"fragile-edmonton-oilers-showing-few-signs-of-life","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/hockey\/2021\/12\/16\/fragile-edmonton-oilers-showing-few-signs-of-life\/","title":{"rendered":"Fragile Edmonton Oilers Showing Few Signs of Life"},"content":{"rendered":"

As the Edmonton Oilers losing streak stretched to a whopping six games following a 5-1 drubbing by the Toronto Maple Leafs<\/a>, few words sprung to mind. One word that did, and actually has lingered for quite some time, is fragile<\/em>. The same old fragile Edmonton Oilers.<\/p>\n

Make no mistake about it, despite the progress that this team has shown over the past two years under the Ken Holland regime, one theme has started to become a problematic pattern. It\u2019s that when the going gets tough, this group of fragile Oilers shut down.<\/p>\n

A History of Fragility for the Edmonton Oilers<\/h2>\n

When Edmonton welcomed the Chicago Blackhawks<\/a> into an empty Rogers Place for the 2020 bubble playoffs, it almost seemed too easy that the fifth-ranked Oilers would dismantle the 12th<\/sup> ranked Blackhawks. That didn\u2019t happen. After a Game 1 dismantling by Chicago, the Oilers looked outmatched, uninspired, and again, fragile. They could only muster a single win in that five-game series before being eliminated before the real fun even began.<\/p>\n

Fast forward a year and the Oilers enter the playoffs once more following a rather strong regular season. Like the year prior, fragility follows. The Winnipeg Jets<\/a> gave them a 4-1 punch in the face in Game 1, and the Oilers responded with three more losses. They were out of the playoffs as quickly as they had entered them, without even a single push back.<\/p>\n

That series against the Jets has many parallels to this recent six-game slump. In that Jets\u2019 series, the Oilers suddenly couldn\u2019t score, their power play wasn\u2019t quite as hot, their goaltending was lesser than their opponent\u2019s, and although in the majority of those games the Oilers \u201clooked\u201d like the better team on paper, they still lost.<\/p>\n

Recent Fragility<\/h3>\n

In last week\u2019s game against the Boston Bruins<\/a>, the Oilers found themselves down 2-0. Remarkably, they clawed back and tied the game in the third period. It seemed as though the tide was set to turn. That didn\u2019t happen. Almost immediately following the tying goal, Boston picked up their play, and the Oilers happily obliged. With only a couple of minutes remaining, the Oilers stumbled, scrambled, and conceded Boston\u2019s lead right back to them.<\/p>\n

\n

Matt Grzelcyk gives the Bruins the lead.<\/p>\n

3-2 Boston with 2:33 left in regulation. pic.twitter.com\/AAuAYzWAI6<\/a><\/p>\n

\u2014 Conor Ryan (@ConorRyan_93) December 10, 2021<\/a><\/p><\/blockquote>\n

That was a game where the Oilers \u201clooked\u201d like the better team. They weren\u2019t. When it mattered the most, they spit the bit.<\/p>\n

Why is that? Why is it that in real times of adversity, such as the two previous playoffs, the injury bug that hit the defence this season, and the ensuing losing streak, this team tends to turn into the same old fragile Oilers?<\/p>\n

That\u2019s a question that general manager Ken Holland needs to figure out and in a hurry.<\/p>\n

Fragile Leadership<\/h3>\n

Is it the leadership? That\u2019s quite a leap to make, especially considering that both Connor McDavid<\/a> and Leon Draisaitl<\/a> have 45 points in 27 games this season. Offensively they are certainly leading the team. However, what level of responsibility should they take for inspiring the play of others? Should they take any?<\/p>\n

It does make you scratch your head and wonder how a team like the Pittsburgh Penguins<\/a>, which has had more significant injuries this season, plus a tougher battle with covid, \u00a0has found a way to weather the storm without such a dramatic low-point in the process.<\/p>\n

That\u2019s a team that seems to endure and overcome significant hurdles in a way that this Oilers team just hasn\u2019t figured out quite yet.<\/p>\n

Has the loss of Mike Smith<\/a> on the ice contributed to some of this fragility, with the lack of his temper and flare a legitimate detriment? Maybe, but Smith was in both of those playoff series in years prior, and these issues were still present.<\/p>\n

Plus, the team brought in veterans such as Zach Hyman<\/a>, Duncan Keith<\/a>, and Cody Ceci<\/a>,\u00a0 in addition to internally developed leaders like Darnell Nurse<\/a> and Ryan Nugent-Hopkins<\/a>. This team is not short on “leaders”, from a games-played\/personality perspective at least.<\/p>\n

Fragile Depth<\/h3>\n

Maybe the issue isn\u2019t so much the lack of leadership in a traditional sense, but more so a lack of depth players who can lead with their play on the ice.<\/p>\n

A quick trip to Natural Stat Trick<\/a> tells us the obvious when it comes to Edmonton\u2019s depth. It\u2019s just not good enough.<\/p>\n

Sorting the Oilers by five on five statistics, we see a few names at the bottom of the list who most certainly match the eye test in terms of disappointing play:<\/p>\n