In an Edmonton Oilers news and rumors update, a story about Leon Draisaitl has caught fire this week, even though the superstar didn’t say anything that should have given cause for concern. Meanwhile, Connor McDavid made it clear what he thinks about offside calls that take forever to be made. The Oilers go for nine wins in a row as they take on the Detroit Red Wings on Thursday. Finally, a legend in the media passes as John Short has died.
John Short Passes Away
Before we get into the news and rumors of the day, I wanted to send my condolences to the family of legendary broadcaster and Oilers personality John Short. His son, Michael Short, posted on Facebook that his father had passed and thanked the local Royal Alex Hospital for their care of John in his final days.
John Short was a legend in the Edmonton sports scene. Born in 1937, he formerly worked for the Canadian Press, Edmonton Journal, as well as the Edmonton Oilers as public relations director. He has not only hosted multiple sports radio shows but is also a distinguished member of the Alberta Sports Hall of Fame since his induction in 1988. He was recognized his outstanding contributions to sports writing.
I was fortunate enough to do a short apprenticeship with him in high school and it was only years later that I realized what a golden opportunity that was to shadow, even for a short period of time, one of the greats.
Leon Draisaitl’s Comments Catch Attention
Journalist Mark Spector wrote a piece on comments Draisaitl made about sticking with the Oilers and his potential upcoming contract negotiations. Considering the news that William Nylander signed a huge new deal with the Maple Leafs, it’s not odd that fans and media members might be wondering what’s running through Draisaitl’s mind. Unfortunately, the headline Spector wrote to promote the piece has caught the ire of fans.
In his tag, Spector placed an emphasis on these comments: “At the end of the day, (McDavid) is going to do what’s best for him and I’m going to do what’s best for me.” Some fans took that to suggest that Draisaitl was not married to the idea of sticking with the Oilers. What was left out were other comments Leon made. “Of course, I want to finish the job. That’s why I pour my heart, my emotions — my body language, sometimes — into it every day,” He added, “That’s the way I’m wired. I care a lot. Of course, I want to finish the job. And I want to finish it here.”
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The latter suggests that Draisaitl is willing to re-sign if he thinks the Oilers are close but his contract happens to require an extension before they win it all.
McDavid Finds the Delayed Offside Calls Outrageous
Speaking about a goal that was called back because Draisaitl was apparently offside, Connor McDavid didn’t hold back about his thoughts on the NHL’s process for reviewing offside calls. In the game where the Oilers beat the Senators 2-1, two goals were called back, one that Hyman scored after the officials took nearly 10 minutes to determine if Draisaitl had possession when he entered the zone.
McDavid noted, “If it takes you 15 minutes to determine if it’s offside or not, it probably doesn’t matter… you zoom in, you keep zooming in until you can’t zoom in any more, I guess it’s offside.” He noted that the process is supposed to be that calls are overturned only if the call on the ice is “dead wrong.” He noted that it certainly wasn’t obvious and the call on the ice was a goal.
Oilers Going for 9 In a Row
Facing off against a high-scoring opponent, the Oilers aim for their ninth consecutive win on Thursday night against the Detroit Red Wings. Throughout their ongoing winning streak, the Oilers have showcased their prowess as one of the NHL’s top defensive teams. Since December 21, they have allowed a mere 1.75 goals per game.
This defensive performance places them among the league’s best, with only the Winnipeg Jets and Seattle Kraken conceding fewer goals during this period. If they can manage to keep that style of game going and continue to score in the process, they have a chance to tie a franchise record. Calvin Pickard gets the start in net, but there are no other lineup changes.
