An uncomfortable flaw the Edmonton Oilers must fix after the break

Feb 6, 2026 (11:26)

Photo credit: Sergei Belski-Imagn Images

Connor McDavid watches the Edmonton Oilers penalty kill leak goals, and the margin feels brutal.

Edmonton’s shorthanded work has slipped into the danger zone at 76.88% this season.

That’s not “one bad night” either, it’s a season-long trend that keeps turning close games into coin flips.

They’ve already allowed 37 power-play goals, which is simply too many for a contender.

The ugly part is how the goals happen, not just how often.

Too many clean zone entries against, with the first forechecker arriving late and the blue line backing in.

Once the puck gets set, Edmonton’s box can get stretched by one extra pass through the seam.

That opens the bumper, forces a panic rotation, and suddenly the net-front is a screen instead of a battle.

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The clears have been just as loud a problem.

A soft rim or a failed chip becomes an instant reload, and you can see legs die after 35 seconds.

Oilers fans have that familiar knot in their stomach every time the arm goes up.

After the break, I want simpler reads and harder decisions.

Pressure the entry earlier, even if it means one aggressive stand at the red line.

Win the first touch, then fire the puck off the glass and out, no cute middle attempts.

On faceoffs, commit to a clean tie-up plan so the puck doesn’t go straight to the point.

And keep the weak-side forward tighter to the seam until the shot lane is actually closed.

Edmonton is 28-22-8 with 198 goals for and 191 against, so the foundation is still here.

If they tighten this one area, the next stretch, starting Wednesday, February 25 vs Anaheim, looks way less stressful.

Previously on HockeyLatest

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FEVRIER 6\|130 ANSWERS An uncomfortable flaw the Edmonton Oilers must fix after the break Should the Edmonton Oilers focus on fixing the penalty kill after the break?
Yes	117	90 %
No	13	10 %
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