Edmonton Oilers called out for breaking the code with Connor McDavid vs. Flyers

The Oilers haven't close to resembling a physical team this season, but McDavid just commended Trent Frederic for bringing a spark with a fight. The captain also might have liked some help against the Flyers.

NHL analyst Sid Seixero shared a few clips of Flyers players all over Connor McDavid last night, including high sticks, cross checks, holds, interference, and late hits.

Through it all, the rest of the Oilers roster didn't have any response - arguably failing the code of standing up for star players.

There is an element of truth to Seixero's comments, that the Oilers rarely do enough to stand up for Connor McDavid. Some players could do more to become instigators themselves, and deter players from targeting McDavid.

However, this is an issue that Connor McDavid has faced since his first game in the NHL. The Oilers, and even McDavid himself, are used to this by now.

The captain has always pushed through the tight checking and extra cheap shots, making the opposition pay by scoring on them. In a 1-goal game too, the Oilers don't want to risk a penalty.

That shouldn't stop at least some Oilers from dialling up their physical play to protect their captain. We've seen this type of play increase in the playoffs too, particularly from the Florida Panthers. If there's one element the Oilers couldn't match in the Cup Final, it was their aggression.

Maybe this will be a wake up call for some Oilers to increase their physicality moving forward.