NHL analysts Jason Gregor, Tyler Yaremchuk, and Baggedmilk responded to a fan's question as to whether the Oilers are protecting Connor McDavid. The question of whether the Edmonton Oilers do enough to protect Connor McDavid was debated after one fan openly <a href='https://oilersnation.com/news/monotony-of-success-part-2-how-do-the-oilers-compare-to-others-who-reached-back-to-back-stanley-cup-finals' class='lien_marqueur' target='_blank' rel='noopener'>questioned the team's response to the physical attention he received</a> against the Philadelphia Flyers. <h3>The crucial question on one fan's mind</h3> At the heart of the concern was whether anyone on the roster <a href='https://www.hockeylatest.com/nhl-team/edmonton-oilers/connor-mcdavid-calls-out-his-teammates-for-lack-of-energy-and-effort-during-recent-struggles' class='lien_marqueur' target='_blank' rel='noopener'>could consistently push back when opponents take liberties</a> with the Oilers' captain. NHL analyst Jason Gregor's view was that the hits that McDavid took were not dirty, that physicality is a part of the league, and calling up a young player for that reason just doesn't make sense. A belief existed that veterans like Darnell Nurse, Trent Frederic, Vasily Podkolzin, and Zach Hyman are more than capable of responding if the situation truly calls for it. The bigger frustration came from seeing Flyers forward Travis Konecny repeatedly pester McDavid without much pushback. Body contact is allowed in the NHL. I didn't think any of the contact was cheap or dirty. I for sure wouldn't call up a 20-year-old and expect him to be the one handing out justice. Nurse, Frederic, Podzolkin, Hyman can do it if they feel it was warranted. I'd have liked someone to get in Konecny's face as he was more pestering McDavid than bullying him, but the actual body checks weren't dirty or cheap. - Jason Gregor <div align='center' class='pl20 pr20'><blockquote class='twitter-tweet' data-lang='en'><a href='https://twitter.com/OilersNation/status/1990420801078923428'><div style='border:1px solid #CCCCCC;border-radius:10px;padding:20px;width:300px;'>Loading from Twitter ...</div></a></blockquote></div> <h3>Why the Oilers don't require a bruising team</h3> Tyler Yaremchuk's view was that while the Oilers don't require a bruising team, they do have to make sure opponents know there are consequences when they crowd their best player. There was also optimism that Connor Clattenburg could eventually become a call-up option in the future, but not yet. I do think that 12-15 months from now we could be talking about Connor Clattenburg being a legit call-up option. I agree that the players you mentioned should have done a little bit more to let the Flyers know that they can't just do whatever they want to the Oilers' Captain. The Oilers aren't a tough team, and that's fine, but someone has to stand up for McDavid there. - Tyler Yaremchuk Analyst 'Baggedmilk' suggested that it falls to the established roster. Players like Hyman have shown they can set a physical tone, and it's on the rest of the group to match that rather than relying on a prospect. I think Clattenburg is right where he needs to be. It's up to the guys on the NHL roster to put their big boy pants on and throw the body around. Zach Hyman had 11 hits in his first game - the guy was a human missile. - Baggedmilk Ultimately, the topic circles back to a familiar Edmonton theme: the skill-pushback balancing act. As the Oilers progress further into the season, managing that burden will continue to be one storyline that shapes the conversation around McDavid.