An Edmonton Oilers Bounce Back Cannot Rely On Just The Top Guys
By Jim Lynch
The Edmonton Oilers need to bounce back after a tough first two games of the Western Conference Final, but bouncing back cannot be done through just Connor McDavid and Leon Draisaitl.
McDavid has 29 points and Draisaitl has 28 points. Yet those two players are the guys that have to do more for this team to bounce back in a tough series against the Colorado Avalanche. This Avs team has lost just two games all postseason. They swept the Nashville Predators, they beat the St. Louis Blues in six games, and now they are up 2-0 against the Edmonton Oilers.
They look like a team that is on another level and that simply is because they are.
The Edmonton Oilers’ road to getting back into this series cannot fall on McDavid and Draisaitl. It needs to fall on guys like Mike Smith in the net who needs to start making some big saves to keep these games close. It falls on guys like Kailer Yamamoto, Warren Foegele and Jesse Puljujravi who need to start putting up some points. Guys like Zack Kassian and Josh Archibald who need to play physically and shake things up on the series.
This postseason has been so reliant on McDavid and Draisaitl, and that can get a team to the Conference Final as has been shown thus far, but it cannot get a team that much further.
This might not be an issue of the roster, it is what it is there. Really it is an issue of the management under Ken Holland who is figuring this team can just get by with their two stars.
Keep in mind the big trade deadline moves this team made was adding Brett Kulak and Derrick Brassard. Brassard has played in just one playoff game thus far.
This Oilers team has run into a better team in the Colorado Avalanche, but if they can just get a little more involvement from their depth players then maybe they can win a critical game three coming up tonight.