Insider reveals why the Edmonton Oilers have one of the worst NHL power plays
Photo credit: Fan sports network
The Edmonton Oilers are finally back in action tonight after taking a much needed 5 day break, and they'll be looking to clean up several aspects of their game.
Among the areas the Edmonton Oilers will need to sharpen up is their power play. Currently, the team ranks 27th in the NHL, scoring at just15.8 percent -- a drastic decline for seasons prior.
Jim Parsons from The Hockey News recently published an intriguing article, giving his take on where the Edmonton Oilers have potentially gone wrong.
So why is exactly is the Edmonton Oilers power play ranked 27th in the NHL?
It Missed McDavid's Magic
At the end of October, Connor McDavid missed three games due to injury. During his absence, the Oilers' power play struggled to produce, going just 1-for-5.
Zach Hyman's Absence And The Lack Of A Suitable Replacement
The Oilers' power play thrives when they can establish a strong presence in front of the net, a role Zach Hyman typically fills.
Without him in the lineup for the last two games, Edmonton has gone 0-for-5 on the man advantage.
Without him in the lineup for the last two games, Edmonton has gone 0-for-5 on the man advantage.
Evan Bouchard's Increased Shot Block Issues
Evan Bouchard has seen a troubling increase in the number of shots blocked on his power-play attempts this season. Nearly half (47 percent) of his shots have been blocked, up from 37 percent last year, according to moneypuck.com. At 5-on-4, 53 percent of his shot attempts were blocked compared to 41 last season.
Overall, Parson reveals that the Edmonton Oilers power play has been struggling so much due to njuries, individual struggles, and systemic inefficiencies.
Overall, Parson reveals that the Edmonton Oilers power play has been struggling so much due to njuries, individual struggles, and systemic inefficiencies.
Tonight, the Edmonton Oilers take on Utah HC and have a massive opportunity to stay relevant in a competitive Pacific Division.
It was also recently announced that forwardZach Hyman could be available tonight which would give the power an added element of offensive firepower.
| POLL | ||
NOVEMBRE 29 | 159 ANSWERS Insider reveals why the Edmonton Oilers have one of the worst NHL power plays Do you think the Edmonton Oilers can still finish with the best power play in the NHL? | ||
| Yes | 109 | 68.6 % |
| No | 50 | 31.4 % |
| List of polls | ||
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