NHL analyst talks Oilers coach's defense of Connor McDavid and Leon Draisaitl's scoring struggles against Panthers

By Zachary Roberts

Modified Jun 12, 2024 17:20 GMT

Kris Knoblauch said after the second game that his two best players, Connor McDavid and Leon Draisatl, have been "pretty good." They have so far combined for just one assist and the Edmonton Oilers dropped the first two games of the series.

NHL insider Martin Biron was asked whether or not he agrees with the assessment that McDavid and Draisatl have played well. He said (0:52):

"I'm going to go 50/50 on it, Jay, because I think Connor McDavid has been fantastic. He leads the team in five-on-five shooting with six shots on net in the first two games. He's flying every time he has the puck. So I think that Connor McDavid has absolutely been fantastic in the first two games."

Biron admitted that McDavid hasn't scored any goals yet, but the assist was quality and that his play has been good enough that production should come sooner rather than later.

McDavid is a top talent in the National Hockey League, and his performance can be a difference-maker in any game for Edmonton. He'll need to start scoring goals if they're to undo this two-game deficit they face to the Florida Panthers.

---

NHL insider calls for better from Leon Draisatl apart from Connor McDavid

While Martin Biron did praise Connor McDavid following Kris Knoblauch's defense of his star player, the NHL insider did not offer the same to Leon Draisatl. He said that when McDavid is also on the ice, Draisatl plays just fine.

Connor McDavid was praised by Martin Biron

When the superstar sits, Draisatl has not been able to do much (1:30):

"He's slow; he's making late decisions with the puck. He's only got two shots on net at five-on-five in two games. That's not good enough. You have to be able to produce five-on-five. So much so that they've had to put McDavid and Draisaitl together in both games. Draisaitl needs to give a lot more, especially in the speed because he looks slow."

These two players are the engine that drives the Edmonton Oilers. If they're going to lead them to victory in the Stanley Cup Finals, they must play better and operate independently of one another to succeed.