Oilers Could Be in a Mess Without Hyman and Draisaitl

This is not good news for the Edmonton Oilers. Losing Leon Draisaitl and Zach Hyman right as the playoffs hit hurts. The Oilers still have Connor McDavid, and he’s basically a one-man highlight reel. But Edmonton is facing three pretty glaring issues if those two can’t be full go from the jump.

Three Problems the Oilers Must Solve to Have a Chance

Problem One: The Oilers Must Resolve Their Power-Play Paralysis

Without Draisaitl and Hyman, the power play has gone from scary to just getting the puck on the net. Those two aren’t just finishers; they’re net-front chaos. They’re the kind of players who make goalies sweat on every shift.

Being 2-for-21 on a stretch of man-advantages tells you lots about how crucial these two Oilers are for the team’s success. The chances exist, but the puck refuses to cross the line. Fixing it isn’t rocket science. It’s about simplifying the setup, getting pucks to the net, and having bodies in front to battle. It might mean swapping personnel, getting more shots through traffic, and rewarding the forwards willing to do the dirty work. Ugly hockey, but necessary hockey.

Problem Two: The Oilers Must Overcome Their Secondary Scoring Drought

Edmonton’s playbook has long been McDavid + Draisaitl carrying the bulk of the load. Without them, the roster’s lack of dependable secondary scorers is exposed. The supporting cast can’t be optional anymore. They have to show up every shift.

It’s the coaches’ job to mix lines thoughtfully, and it’s the players’ job to crash the crease, create chemistry, and lean on players who’ve been producing. They don’t need another 90-point star overnight, just steady hands on lines two and three. Without that secondary scoring, the top guys can only do so much.

Problem Three: The Oilers Must Rely on Their Defence and Structure

When the offence isn’t firing, the defence has to perform to win playoff games. Edmonton can’t just outscore their problems if the depth scoring dries up. Clean gaps, smarter breakout plays, and disciplined zone exits suddenly matter more than ever.

Mattias Ekholm’s point about emphasizing defence is exactly right. The team must tighten the neutral zone, limit odd-man rushes, and put all its effort into good puck management. Good goaltending helps, of course, but you can’t pin playoff success on a hot streak in net alone. The team has to minimize chances against, and that starts at five-on-five.

The Bottom Line for the Oilers Is Simply to Outwork Opponents

The Oilers have the elite talent to make a run. But without Hyman and Draisaitl, depth issues and power-play struggles make things shaky. Quick fixes — simpler PP sets, aggressive use of secondary scorers, tighter defensive structure — could buy some breathing room.

But if the team ignores these three problems, even McDavid’s magic might not be enough to carry them to where they want to go.

Related: Oilers Set to Sign Russian Power Forward Maxim Berezkin