Now succeeding across the country with the Toronto Maple Leafs, former Oilers defender William Lagesson recently opened up about his time in Edmonton. Speaking with his agent Alan Walsh on his podcast, Agent Provocateur, Lagesson actually admitted that the media in Edmonton affected him.
When asked about playing under the spotlight in hockey hotbeds like Edmonton and Toronto, Lagesson said that he did read social media and journalists while he was in Edmonton. However, when he was continually reading criticism of himself, it affected his mind and his play on the ice.
He continued to say that he now tries to stay away from reading media related to his game, and finds himself better off for it. Without worrying about what others are saying, he can have more focus on playing his game. It looks like it's been working, as Lagesson is succeeding in a depth defence role in Toronto.
The Oilers players seem to have a rocky relationship with the team's media, with many memorable moments between the star players and writers like Mark Spector and Jim Matheson. Perhaps, to get the most out of the team, the media relationships need to improve - or the players need to tune them out.
With such a passionate fanbase in Edmonton, the media relations will turn with a win streak, and the players will be praised once again. Hopefully for everyone, that win streak comes soon.
