Player Discussion Draisaitl: The TRUE Captain of the Oilers

[Duke74]

While this is usually true 9/10 times its also accurate that Drai has been largely ordinary this season in 5 on 5 play. Its a disturbing trend that his scoring and offense is so PP predicated now. Not what I want to be seeing now. Very rarely now Drai makes an energy drive type play during EV. Drai indeed seems to have scouted OV pre Trotz standing straight up watching the play even on the PP.

The season is early but Drai EV has been underwhelming. Sure a strange time for the thread to be made as McD is carrying the club and then some.


In fairness the OP doesn't reflect the board and I've never seen the OP here before making this thread.

I tend to agree that despite producing points, he doesn't seem quite as good as last season. Maybe it's a lingering injury or maybe its related to his epiphany about being able to stand still while generating offence. Regardless, I didn't appreciate this thread became twisted around to harp on the player's perceived weaknesses. Suffice to say McDavid has earned the captaincy and despite seeming quiet, he leads by example. Perhaps this thread was started to sow divisiveness among the fanbase.

 

[Trafalgar Sadge Law]

While this is usually true 9/10 times its also accurate that Drai has been largely ordinary this season in 5 on 5 play. Its a disturbing trend that his scoring and offense is so PP predicated now. Not what I want to be seeing now. Very rarely now Drai makes an energy drive type play during EV. Drai indeed seems to have scouted OV pre Trotz standing straight up watching the play even on the PP.

The season is early but Drai EV has been underwhelming. Sure a strange time for the thread to be made as McD is carrying the club and then some.


In fairness the OP doesn't reflect the board and I've never seen the OP here before making this thread.

His non-power play production isn't actually that bad. He has 13 even strength points+1 shorthanded point so far this season which paces him at 72 in 82 games. Even if you take away the 3 empty net points that's still 11 non PP points in 16 games which paces him for 57 over a full 82 game season. His past 4 seasons in reverse order were 69 in 80, 52 in 56, 66 in 71, and 73 in 82 (I'm too lazy to check how many empty net points he had each of these seasons but he definitely had some). So while I agree he hasn't looked as good lately his production is not outside of the range of error and it's not like we've never watched Draisaitl have a slump before. What's abnormal is his 14 power play points in 16 games which is almost half a power play point per game higher than normal for him, and explains why he's pacing for 144 points instead of his "normal" 110-120 point pace.

 

[Drivesaitl]

His non-power play production isn't actually that bad. He has 13 even strength points+1 shorthanded point so far this season which paces him at 72 in 82 games. Even if you take away the 3 empty net points that's still 11 non PP points in 16 games which paces him for 57 over a full 82 game season. His past 4 seasons in reverse order were 69 in 80, 52 in 56, 66 in 71, and 73 in 82 (I'm too lazy to check how many empty net points he had each of these seasons but he definitely had some). So while I agree he hasn't looked as good lately his production is not outside of the range of error and it's not like we've never watched Draisaitl have a slump before. What's abnormal is his 14 power play points in 16 games which is almost half a power play point per game higher than normal for him, and explains why he's pacing for 144 points instead of his "normal" 110-120 point pace.

I could have been more clear. Drai has 3 EV goals this season. Close to 200NHL players have that many EV goals. Drai has as many EV pts that he does because scoring in NHL has been so prolific this early in season and the Oilers have been playing essentially last goal wins river hockey most of the season. The production is untenable, and declining as the team attempts to buckle down on limiting GA and playing a more 200ft game. Scroing and easy pts will certainly be at more of a premium now with Kane Longterm out of the lineup.

 

[slaman]

While this is usually true 9/10 times its also accurate that Drai has been largely ordinary this season in 5 on 5 play. Its a disturbing trend that his scoring and offense is so PP predicated now. Not what I want to be seeing now. Very rarely now Drai makes an energy drive type play during EV. Drai indeed seems to have scouted OV pre Trotz standing straight up watching the play even on the PP.

The season is early but Drai EV has been underwhelming. Sure a strange time for the thread to be made as McD is carrying the club and then some.


In fairness the OP doesn't reflect the board and I've never seen the OP here before making this thread.

Seeing you post this means it's not something I'm imagining! Especially given that you're one of Drai's biggest supporters.

I'm hopeful that this road trip was a bit exhausting and he'll get back to form once the schedule stabilizes or as the season goes on.

 

[Drivesaitl]

Seeing you post this means it's not something I'm imagining! Especially given that you're one of Drai's biggest supporters.

I'm hopeful that this road trip was a bit exhausting and he'll get back to form once the schedule stabilizes or as the season goes on.

The concerning thing to me is we haven't seen Drai ideal form yet this season. Typically we see mixes of games where Drai is on and energized and those where he is playing his energy conserved game. I'm not seeing the same involved play from him this season either in ownzone play or EV play in general. It seems to me that the Drai commitment to ownzone is less sturdy now and he even commented on thinking he was no juggernaut on pk and his comments got him removed from it which I thought was interesting. For better or worse, and its possibly better, is Drai is less feeling like he wants to be the jack of all things now. That I guess is also a realistic position as he ages.

 

[Trafalgar Sadge Law]

I could have been more clear. Drai has 3 EV goals this season. Close to 200NHL players have that many EV goals. Drai has as many EV pts that he does because scoring in NHL has been so prolific this early in season and the Oilers have been playing essentially last goal wins river hockey most of the season. The production is untenable, and declining as the team attempts to buckle down on limiting GA and playing a more 200ft game. Scroing and easy pts will certainly be at more of a premium now with Kane Longterm out of the lineup.

I mean we're kinda forced to play river hockey b/c Jack Campbell is trolling pretty much every time he steps on the ice (not that he shouldn't play better defensively, he's been controller disconnected way too often this year). Draisaitl's non power play shots is at 34 in 16 games which is around the same as his normal 1.7-2.2 even strength+shorthanded shots per game pace in his past 4 seasons. The shooting percentage will come up and the even strength goals will come.

 

[fuswald]

McDavid all day every day and it's not close.
Wishing Draisaitl was a messier clone doesn't make it so.

If McDavid was to leave then maybe an argument he is the most vocal player.

 

[Fourier]

I could have been more clear. Drai has 3 EV goals this season. Close to 200NHL players have that many EV goals. Drai has as many EV pts that he does because scoring in NHL has been so prolific this early in season and the Oilers have been playing essentially last goal wins river hockey most of the season. The production is untenable, and declining as the team attempts to buckle down on limiting GA and playing a more 200ft game. Scroing and easy pts will certainly be at more of a premium now with Kane Longterm out of the lineup.

I am not sure there is much to worry about at this point. Leon is both a consistent and a streaky scorer in the sense that he scores regularly but he can easily go on a heater where he scores a lot in a short period of time.

By the way 5 vs 5 scoring is actually down this year so far by about 5% over last year with teams averaging 2.00 5 vs 5 goals this year compared with 2.10 last year. Overall teams are averaging 3.13 goals per game this year vs 3.11 last year. So there is no significant change in league wide scoring rates,

This early in the season you will see a lot more scoring anomalies. Big scorers off to slower starts, guys who will end up will 30 points pacing at 70.

 

[McDNicks17]

He's just getting his December Drai phase out of the way early this year.

 

[MettleMcOiler]

This smells like a Leaf fan that wants to start a Captain controversy in hopes to divide the fan base to designate Draisaitl over McDavid as the " true" Captain, thus hopefully offends McDavid to jump ship and sign with the Leafs in FA where they supposedly will keep open cap space for him to sign ( blatant tampering?)

I would have given op the benefit of the doubt but I don't recognize him on this board and the title thread doesn't sit right.
It's meant to force a controversy, and I find it hard to believe a "True" oilers fan would start it considering the implications.

Draisaitl is capable to captain this team, that is obvious. He would be the first man up.

But McDavid IS the Captain of the Edmonton Oilers. In the truest sense.

He has led the team through great change which he was the obvious catalyst to drag the the team out when the Oilers were deep in the DoD.

The team would have not have come as far as they have without both their leadership.

But McDavid as Captain made it happen.
He is the true captain of the Edmonton Oilers.
And that should be repeated just In case you forget.

/end thread

 

[Gunnersaurus Rex]

I personally like watching his temper tantrums on the ice.

The awesome no look passes to the other team

Oh the 3 minute shifts and being to gassed to play in the defensive zone

yeah he aint a leader

Exactly this.

Gives 120% trying to score an empty netter, but can't give 2 craps about backchecking 15 seconds earlier.

Leon is far from a good leader.

 

[KeithIsActuallyBad]

Exactly this.

Gives 120% trying to score an empty netter, but can't give 2 craps about backchecking 15 seconds earlier.

Leon is far from a good leader.

Thanks for your opinion.

Cheque is in the mail.

 

[Drivesaitl]

I am not sure there is much to worry about at this point. Leon is both a consistent and a streaky scorer in the sense that he scores regularly but he can easily go on a heater where he scores a lot in a short period of time.

By the way 5 vs 5 scoring is actually down this year so far by about 5% over last year with teams averaging 2.00 5 vs 5 goals this year compared with 2.10 last year. Overall teams are averaging 3.13 goals per game this year vs 3.11 last year. So there is no significant change in league wide scoring rates,

This early in the season you will see a lot more scoring anomalies. Big scorers off to slower starts, guys who will end up will 30 points pacing at 70.

Yeah but last season was a somewhat high scoring year as well and for the first time in 16 seasons there were 4 players that scored 50 or more goals which is very rare.

This season a dozen players have scored 10 goals already, a very high number, all of those on pace for 50 goals. Several other players have 9 goals. Indeed 19 players have 9 or more goals this early in season and all flirting with a 50 goal pace

 

[Duke74]

He's just getting his December Drai phase out of the way early this year.

Hopefully that's the case. Or we could be in for a real ugly December.

 

[Duke74]

Exactly this.

Gives 120% trying to score an empty netter, but can't give 2 craps about backchecking 15 seconds earlier.

Leon is far from a good leader.

Congratulations on one-upping the wisdom of the OP. Normally, I would write a longer rebuttal to your splendid contribution but I realize you haven't watched a single Oiler game so I won't bother.

 

[Stoneman89]

I had been thinking about this over the last couple days, and while Connor leads by example and is a great leader, I feel Drai is the TRUE Captain of the team. The dude just spits the truth through interviews, he hypes up his teammates both on the ice and through social media and he just seems like the better fit with the 'C' on his chest, to be honest.

Noope, 100 % wrong. McDavid is the captain of this team for all the reasons mentioned. Even Leon will tell you that. Not even a debate, except in your mind, I guess. Unless you're just trolling, trying to get attention and then sit back and watch others get into arguments about something as silly as this.

 

[Drivesaitl]

Congratulations on one-upping the wisdom of the OP. Normally, I would write a longer rebuttal to your splendid contribution but I realize you haven't watched a single Oiler game so I won't bother.

The poster some how managed to win the most ridiculous post of the thread contest which considering the OP is impressive.

Drai on empty nets will pass off so somebody else can score the goal most times. Its such an odd comment for somebody to make specifically in relation to Drai. I don't know the poster even watches the Oilers.

 

[Duke74]

The poster some how managed to win the most ridiculous post of the thread contest which considering the OP is impressive.

Drai on empty nets will pass off so somebody else can score the goal most times. Its such an odd comment for somebody to make specifically in relation to Drai. I don't know the poster even watches the Oilers.

You can definitely spot the ignorance on that one. On empty net situations, Draisaitl stays back in the defensive zone to defend. Twice this year, Draisaitl intercepted opposition passes to spring players on breakaways: Hyman and McDavid. On another situation where he easily could've scored, Draisaitl passes to Kane for the hat trick. He cares more about defending and giving his teammates goals.

 

[ToeMcDrag83]

A more fun discussion is who would be captain if it wasn't one of our two best players? Who's the "Jason Smith" type leader, the work ethic leader? Arguably that's McDavid as well, but sticking to my own rules, I'd say the closest thing we have to that is Zach Hyman.

In any case, I think Connor is a great captain. Best leaders always show, not tell. Actions > Words, he personifies that.

 

[McDNicks17]

A more fun discussion is who would be captain if it wasn't one of our two best players? Who's the "Jason Smith" type leader, the work ethic leader? Arguably that's McDavid as well, but sticking to my own rules, I'd say the closest thing we have to that is Zach Hyman.

In any case, I think Connor is a great captain. Best leaders always show, not tell. Actions > Words, he personifies that.

I'd say Nurse is the easy answer there.

 

[ujju2]

The concerning thing to me is we haven't seen Drai ideal form yet this season. Typically we see mixes of games where Drai is on and energized and those where he is playing his energy conserved game. I'm not seeing the same involved play from him this season either in ownzone play or EV play in general. It seems to me that the Drai commitment to ownzone is less sturdy now and he even commented on thinking he was no juggernaut on pk and his comments got him removed from it which I thought was interesting. For better or worse, and its possibly better, is Drai is less feeling like he wants to be the jack of all things now. That I guess is also a realistic position as he ages.

I thought he was fantastic against Nashville (as always) but otherwise have to agree. I do think he’ll return to his usual form. But tbh if he goes the Ovi route and ends up being a less dynamic player while keeping his production up, that’s probably not the worst thing in the world in the long run.

A more fun discussion is who would be captain if it wasn't one of our two best players? Who's the "Jason Smith" type leader, the work ethic leader? Arguably that's McDavid as well, but sticking to my own rules, I'd say the closest thing we have to that is Zach Hyman.

In any case, I think Connor is a great captain. Best leaders always show, not tell. Actions > Words, he personifies that.

The first 2 sentences don’t really go together imo. If it wasn’t McDrai I think it would be our longest serving Oiler, Nuge. But obviously he’s not the Jason Smith type.

 

[HockeyGuy1964]

Exactly this.

Gives 120% trying to score an empty netter, but can't give 2 craps about backchecking 15 seconds earlier.

Leon is far from a good leader.

WTF?
I can't believe someone classy enough to be a Gunners fan wrote something this silly.
Go Arsenal.

 

[DaGap]

Hehe Loved the pass in the last minute of tonights game

 

[Drivesaitl]

WTF?
I can't believe someone classy enough to be a Gunners fan wrote something this silly.
Go Arsenal.

I think his name is probably Gunner.

 

[SaltNPeca]

Having 2 superstars with leadership qualities isn't a bad thing.

We're #blessed to have Connor, and I love that he's Captain.
Drai is a special player, a beast, 50G 50A 100P big center with a chip on his shoulder and a smirk.