Sharks insider takes a shot at Oilers over questionable decision
Photo credit: IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect
Sheng Peng wonders why the Oilers loaded up on three defensemen from a Sharks blue line that struggled just two years ago.
Sheng Peng is raising eyebrows about Edmonton's blue line makeup.
Appearing on the DLLS Stars Podcast this week, the hockey analyst questioned the Oilers' offseason approach to rebuilding their defense corps, pointing out that a significant chunk of the group once wore San Jose Sharks colors not too long ago.
''I don't really get the Edmonton part of it. Maybe you guys can explain like half of their defense is the Sharks defense from two years ago; Jake Walman, Ty Emberson & Shakir Mukhamadullin and I don't know how that's a good thing [...]''
- Sheng Peng
- Sheng Peng
Peng's comments have already started making the rounds on hockey Twitter, with fans on both sides picking apart the merits of the argument.
Peng specifically called out Jake Walman, Ty Emberson and Shakir Mukhamadullin, all three of whom spent time with the Sharks before landing in Edmonton.
Walman arrived via trade during the 2024-25 season, Emberson joined in the summer of 2024, and Mukhamadullin was the headline piece coming back in the Darnell Nurse trade this July.
Peng struggled to understand the logic behind stacking the roster with players from a Sharks defense that finished near the bottom of the league in recent memory, and he wasn't shy about saying so on air.
Bowman's blue line rebuild under scrutiny
General manager Stan Bowman has leaned heavily on those familiar names this offseason, and it's becoming a talking point among analysts outside the Oilers' fanbase.
The Nurse for Mukhamadullin swap in particular drew mixed reactions, with some viewing it as addition by subtraction given Nurse's contract, while others question whether Mukhamadullin can replicate that kind of production on a stronger roster.
Oilers fans pushing back on outside criticism
Edmonton supporters have largely dismissed the Sharks comparison, arguing that context matters more than logos on old jerseys.
San Jose's struggles as a franchise were never really about individual talent on the back end, and players like Walman have already shown flashes of what they can do in a playoff atmosphere.
Whether Peng's skepticism proves warranted will play out over the course of the season as the new look defense corps gets more run together.
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