How has OEL looked this year? I know he was really poor the last few years but obviously still young enough to bounce back.
He hasn’t been really poor the last few years. He hasn’t been himself but he’s still better than the vast majority of defenseman in the league.
He’s not the guy who’s going to score 20+ goals per season anymore. He’s playing a more solid, quiet, efficient game these days. I think disagreements with his terrible coach about play style, along with gaining the captaincy and having some ideas of what that should mean for his game, have caused him to mute his more colorful qualities on the ice.
I preferred his old approach and hope he moves back in that direction. It would be a great thing for the Coyotes to fire Rick Tocchet and Phil Housley. I would love to see OEL and others play for more competent coaches.
To address your question specifically, this season has been the best he’s played in the Tocchet era, I think.