Leon Draisaitl Blunt as Ever as Oilers Stumble Into the Olympic Break

Frustrations are boiling over for Leon Draisaitl and the Edmonton Oilers. After two straight years of coming up just short in the Stanley Cup Final, it can be hard for a team with championship-or-bust expectations to get up for all 82 regular-season games, and that’s exactly what appears to be happening.

The Oilers snapped out of their typical slow start quicker than usual, jumping right back to the top of the Pacific Division. However, since the Christmas break, it hasn’t been as pretty. A 9-9-2 record over those 20 games has Edmonton clinging to a playoff spot, with several teams hot on their heels—and some even now ahead of them in points percentage. As a result, every game the rest of the way has become crucial, so Wednesday’s loss in Calgary had Draisaitl understandably upset.

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During his postgame media availability, Draisaitl didn’t hold back on his team’s recent struggles, calling out everything from their defensive play to the penalty kill and goaltending.

Draisaitl said:

“We’re just giving up too many goals, I don’t know. We just can’t defend. The penalty kill’s not great. There are a lot of things that are part of it—yeah, just not good enough right now.

It goes hand in hand. We’ve got to defend better, we’ve got to make it easier on him, and then I’m sure he can be a little bit better, too. It’s a two-way street, but it starts with us in front of him, and then the game comes a little bit easier. But I think there are saves our goalies need to make at some point,”

The 30-year-old Draisaitl has once again done just about all he can in 2025–26, having racked up 80 points (29 goals, 51 assists) through 55 games, pacing for a fifth consecutive 100-plus point campaign.

Leon Draisaitl Didn’t Stop Short of Calling Out His Teammates

When later asked why such an experienced team could be having these kinds of issues at this point in the season, Draisaitl said it starts at the top with the coaches and the leadership group, himself included.

“Not consistent enough, and yeah, this league’s too hard to just lollygag through games and try to get winning streaks going. You need everybody. It starts with the coaches, like everybody. You’re never going to win if you have four or five guys going. It starts at the top. We can be better, our leaders can be better, and yeah, take the break and regroup.”

There’s no doubt tensions are rising in Edmonton, and perhaps the Olympic break couldn’t have come at a better time, as they skid while the rest of the division continues to pick up points.

For the last several years, making the playoffs has been a given for Draisaitl and the Oilers. But now, with those that had been the bottom feeders on the upswing—Anaheim, Seattle, and San Jose—alongside the usual competition in Vegas and Los Angeles, it could be a battle to the finish just to get into the dance.

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