Leon Draisaitl clearly showed he was upset after the Edmonton Oilers lost 5-4 to the San Jose Sharks on February 28, 2026.
The Sharks scored five goals from 33 shots, taking advantage of Edmonton’s weak defense. Macklin Celebrini, Michael Misa, Barclay Goodrow, Alexander Wennberg, and Shakir Mukhamadullin all scored goals for the Sharks.
Edmonton didn’t give up easily and had goals from Leon Draisaitl, Evan Bouchard, and Jake Walman, with Connor McDavid helping out with several assists. However, once again, the problem wasn’t scoring.
After the match, Draisaitl made a strong statement. “We are giving up too many goals,” he told the media, showing he was not pleased with how the defense and goaltending performed.
Leon Draisaitl questions Oilers goaltending after Sharks loss
Connor Ingram had a tough game, letting in 5 goals from 33 shots. In the close race of the Western Conference, that kind of loss is hard to handle.
The pressure on the goalies for Edmonton is rising. Since coming over from the Pittsburgh Penguins for Stuart Skinner, Tristan Jarry has had a rough time.
Jarry has a goals-against average of 3.85 and a save percentage of . 864 in his 12 games with Edmonton this season. These figures are much lower than his usual career averages of a . 908 save percentage and a 2.78 goals-against average.
“Just giving up too many goals.”
Leon Draisaitl speaks after the #Oilers loss to the Sharks.@Enterprise | #LetsGoOilers pic.twitter.com/eyM08bkNJk
— Edmonton Oilers (@EdmontonOilers) March 1, 2026
For a team built around stars like Connor McDavid and Leon Draisaitl, shaky goaltending creates a sense of urgency. Edmonton can score against any team, but they can’t let defensive mistakes happen every game.
What Draisaitl says publicly is important. When a key player points out that goals against are the problem, the management needs to pay attention.
The NHL trade deadline is on March 6, and now Edmonton is facing big decisions. Should they trust Ingram and Jarry to get better, or should they look to the goalie market for help?
A defeat in the end of February doesn’t determine how the entire season goes. However, seeing a leader like Draisaitl feeling frustrated shows there might be bigger issues within the team.
If the Oilers keep “allowing too many goals,” as he mentioned, the next action they take might be obvious.
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