3 days Ago By By Bruce Penton
It’s a good-news, bad-news scenario that Edmonton Oilers have the two highest-scoring teammates in the National Hockey League. Read this article for free: Already have an account? As we navigate through unprecedented times, our journalists are working harder than ever to bring you the latest local updates to keep you safe and informed. Now, more than ever, we need your support.
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Your pledge helps to ensure we provide the news that matters most to your community! It’s a good-news, bad-news scenario that Edmonton Oilers have the two highest-scoring teammates in the National Hockey League. Read unlimited articles for free today: Already have an account? It’s a good-news, bad-news scenario that Edmonton Oilers have the two highest-scoring teammates in the National Hockey League. The good news is that Leon Draisaitl and Connor McDavid are a threat to score almost every time they’re on the ice, but the bad news is that the team’s secondary scoring beyond the two superstars is scarce.
Memo to NHL coaches: Figure out a way to stop, or slow down, Draisaitl and McDavid, and you’re more than likely to stop the Oilers. Edmonton Oilers’ Connor McDavid reacts to a goal with Leon Draisaitl (29) against the Seattle Kraken in 2021. This season, the pair are responsible for over 40% of the team’s total scoring output.
(AP Photo/Elaine Thompson) Recent NHL stats show that while goal production from the top two scorers on each team in the NHL represents, on average, 28.5 per cent of a team’s offensive output, the figure is a league-high and unhealthy 40.2 per cent for the Oilers.
Through the end of November, Draisaitl had 17 goals and McDavid 12. The next-best goal output by an Edmonton forward was four — Ryan Nugent-Hopkins, Corey Perry and Jeff Skinner. Other teams quite dependent on their top two scorers are the Montreal Canadiens and Toronto Maple Leafs.
The Habs depend heavily on Cole Caufield and Nick Suzuki, who provide 36.7 per cent of the team’s goals, while the Leafs relied on William Nylander (15) and John Tavares (11) to lead the offence. The Toronto situation could hardly be called dire, though, because high-scoring Auston Matthews missed almost a month due to injury and Toronto’s offence is spread out further now that he’s back.
At the lower end of the statistical story are Anaheim Ducks and Columbus Blue Jackets, whose top two scorers provide a little more than 20 per cent of the team’s total. Oilers’ general manager Stan Bowman is obviously burning up the phone lines trying to find a dependable scoring forward to add to his roster, because if either Draisaitl or McDavid were to be sidelined for any length of time, the Edmonton offence might come close to drying up. On the other hand, McDavid and Draisaitl are so prolific, that coach Kris Knoblauch gives them an extraordinary amount of ice time, which reduces the chances for lesser players to shine.
Another point in Edmonton’s favour is the status of the slumping Zach Hyman, coming off 36- and 54-goal seasons, but with only three in the team’s first 20 games. A Hyman breakout can be expected, easing the requirement for the Oilers’ big two to carry the heaviest load. The season isn’t half over yet and there’s no reason to think the Oilers can’t get things going.
They started slowly last year, then ran off a 16-game winning streak at one point, and were powerful through the playoffs, losing in Game 7 of the Cup final to Florida. “It’s about bringing a level of urgency ..
. and doing your job and doing what you need to do and understanding that everybody else is going to go out and do their job,” Hyman told NHL.com.
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com: “ once won the Wing Bowl in Philadelphia by eating a whopping 501 chicken wings in 30 minutes. She was poultry in motion.” • Headline at fark.
com: “ just can’t understand how all QBs aren’t just like him.” • of the Hockey News, on the controversy surrounding offer sheets: “It’s the NHL equivalent to asking out someone who is wearing a wedding ring.” • NFL quarterback , after throwing three interceptions, two of which were returned for touchdowns, amid a 497-yard passing game vs.
Denver: “I’m praying for the Lord to deliver me from pick-sixes.” • Canadian parody website The Beaverton, on the most popular Christmas present in Ontario: “Raptors tickets (mostly as an excuse to get rid of them).” • Another one from The Beaverton: “Report: in talks with Ohtani about best way to get Canadian’s hopes up before crushing their dreams.
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. seriously, the Tempo? Even ‘Hoserettes’ would have been better.” • , on Bluesky.
social: “Kinda weird how the Lakers hired a Boy Genius to replace the worst coach the NBA has ever seen and yet the Lakers have the exact same problems as they did last year, only everyone is a year older.” • of the Toronto Sun: “Who is currently the highest paid athlete in Canadian professional sports? of the Raptors, who is being paid $32.5 million this season and has played in three games, all of them losses.
” • Simmons, with more money talk: “When new deal kicks in next season, he’ll be getting $44 million U.S., which is about $60 million Canadian, which is $10 million more than the nine rosters in the entire Canadian Football League pay out to their players, give or take a dollar.
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