Oilers superstars no longer need protection from enforcers
The Athletic recently published an intriguing article that has sparked some conversation in Oil Country.
Back when the Oilers drafted Connor McDavid and Leon Draisaitl, management made strategic moves to bring in "enforcers" to help protect their valuable assets. But fast forwarding to 2024, the two Oilers superstars have evolved into physical specimens fully capable of holding their own.
The Oilers organization was immediately concerned with protecting its young stars in the months after McDavid was drafted in 2015. He would suffer a severe injury as a rookie, which compelled the team to add more rugged wingers. Pat Maroon, Milan Lucic, Zack Kassian and others rolled into town for the expressed purpose of protecting the team's future.
Upon analyzing Leon Draisaitl's physical play over the years, he's developed a sneaky shoulder check. The opposing player rushes towards him to complete a check, while Draisaitl thrusts his momentum backwards, resulting in the opposing player being turfed to the ice. McDavid has also developed a nastiness about him, utilizing his cross checks to create space in tight areas around the net.
The bottom line is, the Oilers superstars no longer require the protection of "goons" or "enforcers". They have both emerged into highly skilled offensive talents with a nasty edge that opposing players stay well clear of.
source: The Athletic
What to expect from Edmonton Oilers star Leon Draisaitl this season
| POLL | ||
Do the Oilers stars need protection? | ||
| Yes | 85 | 75.2 % |
| No | 28 | 24.8 % |
| List of polls | ||
