Draisaitl's Rare Public Criticism Points to Oilers' Rock Bottom Moment
NHL insider Elliotte Friedman has declared that the Edmonton Oilers have reached their lowest point this season, pointing to superstar Leon Draisaitl's unusual public outburst following the team's recent 4-3 loss to the Calgary Flames. The defeat marked Edmonton's third consecutive loss, dropping their record to 28 wins and 30 losses.
Unprecedented Player Criticism
Friedman emphasized the rarity of such direct criticism from a player toward coaching staff during his appearance on the 32 Thoughts podcast. "You rarely hear a player be so direct with the coaching staff like that," Friedman stated. "Even a superstar country flag bearer at the Olympics, like Draisaitl, for him to do that, it is so rare for a player to do that. It is so rare... When your franchise player — or one of the two of them — talks like that, you got to fix things."
The NHL analyst later added: "That's got to be rock bottom for Edmonton this year. I can't imagine. It was a tough week. They got pounded by Minnesota. They lost to the Maple Leafs. They lost to Calgary. Frustration boils over. Rock bottom. How are you going to pull yourself out of it?"
Potential Roster Changes Looming
Friedman suggested one potential move for the struggling Oilers could involve trading forward Andrew Mangiapane, a significant free agent signing who has failed to find success on any of Edmonton's top three lines. The forward was recently benched after a costly turnover against Toronto.
"He made the one mistake and he was benched," Friedman explained. "It's clear that the coach and him, they're just not there... Some relationships don't work. That one doesn't work. I think what you have to do now, and they've been going on it for a bit, you just have to cut the cord. You have to find a way to move on. Because I think that kind of thing, it can suck the life out of the rest of the group... If you want to cancel some of the negativity, I just think that moving Mangiapane, that's something I believe you can do."
Coaching Rumors and Team Assessment
Regarding speculation about Paul Coffey potentially returning as an assistant coach, Friedman expressed skepticism. "I don't know if I see that. I looked into that earlier in the season. I was told it's not going to happen. I'm not sure everybody involved wants to do that. However, I do recognize that it's getting a bit ugly and that forces everybody into decisions that they may not want to make."
Former NHL player Ray Ferraro echoed the pessimistic assessment on the Ray & Dregs podcast, stating: "I thought at the beginning of the year, this is the worst of the Oilers teams of the last three years. And I still feel the same way... They shuffled the deck chairs in goal. Do they seem any better? Do they seem any better with (Tristan) Jarry and (Connor) Ingram? Than they did with (Stuart) Skinner and (Calvin) Pickard? They don't to me."
Context of Draisaitl's Comments
While hockey's unwritten rules typically prohibit players from publicly criticizing coaches, observers note that Draisaitl's comments were relatively mild. The superstar included himself, his teammates, and the coaching staff in his assessment that everyone needs to improve. This perspective is hardly controversial for a team sitting two games below .500 and struggling to find consistency.
The Oilers now face significant questions about how to address their current slide and whether roster changes, coaching adjustments, or internal reflection will provide the necessary spark to turn their season around. With frustration visibly boiling over among key players, the organization's response to this rock bottom moment will be closely watched by fans and analysts across the league.
