Oilers coach making questionable choice with McDavid and Draisaitl
Photo credit: Jeff Curry - Imagn Images
According to hockey writer and analyst Allan Mitchell, one central reason why Kris Knoblauch is over-playing McDavid and Draisaitl is because he doesn't trust the young players in the lineup.
This isn't the kind of start one would want, but one year ago the Oilers were 6-8-1 and found a way to make the SCF. Now, Leon Draisaitl was averaging 20:53 a night in all game states, Connor McDavid 20:13.
This season, McDavid is averaging 23:32, Draisaitl 22:24. So it's an increase, but I suspect it is here because coach Kris Knoblauch doesn't trust the kids.
- Allan Mitchell
This season, McDavid is averaging 23:32, Draisaitl 22:24. So it's an increase, but I suspect it is here because coach Kris Knoblauch doesn't trust the kids.
- Allan Mitchell
Fatigue possible factor for Oilers blowing late-leads
The Oilers have been blowing leads late into games they should be winning, costing them critical points in a tight Pacific Division. For the third time in the last four games, they built a two-goal advantage and then managed to lose the game.
One glaring question-mark in Knoblauch's coaching this year has been the over-usage of his two superstars, perhaps the reason for lacking the killer instinct to close-out games. Though they have not disappointed individually, as a whole it may be costing the team points.
According to Natural Stat Trick, McDavid and Draisaitl account for 52 percent of the Oilers' total 5v5 minutes.
In fact, the top ten forwards by TOI in all game-situations this season are McDavid, Draisaitl, RNH, Roslovic, Mangiapane, Podkolzin, Henrique, Savoie, Frederic, and finally Tomasek.
It's quite obvious that the coach's trust level in the team's younger players is unusually low, perhaps even undeservedly. There has been an over-reliance on the top-tow players, and under-reliance for, well, everyone else.
When your stars are fatigued and the supporting cast feeling left out, you can expect a lack of intensity in the team's play, which will likely continue until there is balance in the lineup, ice-time wise, and trust-wise.
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