The real reason Edmonton Oilers slow starts keep happening, and how to fix them

Jan 31, 2026 (12:54)

Photo credit: Perry Nelson-Imagn Images

Connor McDavid and the Edmonton Oilers keep getting burned by slow starts, and it drags their puck possession game into the mud.

That X post below nails the vibe: Edmonton is built to fly, pass clean, and own the puck.

But that style asks for perfect timing, fast reads, and five guys synced up.

On the first few shifts, legs are still waking up and touches are still stiff.

So the idea is to lower the "difficulty setting" early, on purpose.

Safe passes. No forcing seams. Stay above pucks and win your checks.

You can still play fast without playing fancy.

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Right now the Oilers are 28-19-8, and they’ve had to chase too many nights.

McDavid has 34-60-94, which tells you the engine is fine once it’s running.

Leon Draisaitl sits at 26-51-77, and the man advantage still flips games when the group is set.

The problem is the first few minutes when the group is not set.

Oilers fans are tired of the same movie, the early wobble, then the desperate push.

Dump it with purpose, not panic, then layer the forecheck and make the other team turn.

If the first line can get one boring shift, the bench settles down fast.

On the blue line, a simple off-the-glass play beats a cute middle look that becomes a rush against.

Between the pipes, fewer odd-man looks early means your goalie can breathe instead of scrambling.

Once the game speeds up in your favor, that precision puck moving shows up naturally.

The next step is making "simple and forceful" the opening identity, not a mid-game emergency button.

Previously on HockeyLatest

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JANVIER 31\|137 ANSWERS The real reason Edmonton Oilers slow starts keep happening, and how to fix them Should Connor McDavid and the Edmonton Oilers simplify their first five minutes to fix slow starts?
Yes	117	85.4 %
No	20	14.6 %
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