Mike Babcock publicly reveals a problem with McDavid, Draisaitl, and other stars
Photo credit: IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect
Mike Babcock says the Oilers need shorter shifts from their stars, and the new coach pointed to one recent game where the numbers told the story.
Mike Babcock has a new target for the Edmonton Oilers, and it has nothing to do with scoring.
The head coach wants his biggest stars off the ice a little sooner.
Babcock explained that the more depth Edmonton adds to the lineup, the less Connor McDavid and Leon Draisaitl will have to play.
He wants his best players fresher, and he wants the bottom of the roster to earn real minutes.
Babcock said he never brought it up with the group after last game, but one power play shift in the first period stood out because it was not even that long.
When he looked back at the ice time, his top players had only nine shifts, yet nearly every one ran about 11 or 12 seconds too long.
The count was fine. The length was the problem.
“The more depth we get in our lineup, the less he gets to play.
The other thing is, last game and I never even talked to them about it last game after the first period, they had one shift on the power play, and it wasn't even that long a one.
And I looked at their minutes, they only had nine shifts, but every shift was about 11 or 12 seconds too long. So they really got the amount of shifts, but they didn't… you know what I mean?
So that's part of the process too: short and hard. Get it on and off the ice."
- Mike Babcock
The other thing is, last game and I never even talked to them about it last game after the first period, they had one shift on the power play, and it wasn't even that long a one.
And I looked at their minutes, they only had nine shifts, but every shift was about 11 or 12 seconds too long. So they really got the amount of shifts, but they didn't… you know what I mean?
So that's part of the process too: short and hard. Get it on and off the ice."
- Mike Babcock
Short and hard is the plan
Babcock called that part of the process.
Get on the ice, work hard, and get off.
It is a very Babcock way of thinking.
The numbers show why he sees room to trim.
McDavid averaged 22:59 per game last season, while Draisaitl averaged 21:35.
Babcock has also said he would like to reduce the minutes for both players, even though he started the year with them on the same line because of injuries.
What it means for the Oilers
Edmonton took a 7-2 loss to Toronto on Oct. 24, then bounced back with a 4-0 win over Calgary on Oct. 28.
The Oilers visit the New York Islanders on Saturday afternoon.
Shorter shifts are easy to talk about.
The real test is whether the depth forwards can handle the extra work.
Also read on House Of Hockey :
Three Canadian teams among five reportedly out of Nikita Kucherov trade race
Three Canadian teams among five reportedly out of Nikita Kucherov trade race