Leon Draisaitl is raising a warning, and head coach Kris Knoblauch is in a tough spot after the Edmonton Oilers had another bad game on defense.
The Oilers lost a painful 5-4 match to the San Jose Sharks. This was a game they really needed to win.
After the game, Draisaitl was very straightforward. He stood in front of the cameras and made a statement that is making a big impact in the locker room today.
“It sounds like I’m repeating myself, but we are giving up too many goals,” the star player said. “It’s tough to score 5 or 6 goals every game. ”
That comment is a clear shot at the situation. It’s aimed right at the goaltender position, particularly towards Connor Ingram and Tristan Jarry.
The frustration is completely understandable. The Oilers have a record of 4-6-0 in their last 10 games, allowing a lot of chances and losing important points in the standings.
A Weak Defense And A Goalkeeper Struggling
You can’t keep winning in the NHL if your defense isn’t working well. Edmonton has given up 4 or more goals in 5 out of their last 6 games.
This points the finger not just at Ingram, but also at Jarry, even though Jarry didn’t play on Saturday, which means he might not get the same level of blame, even though he’s been part of the problem during this awful stretch.
Ingram faced 28 shots in the game against San Jose and allowed three goals to score against him in just the first period. This early setback made it hard for the offense to catch up all night.
The team can still make good plays and score, but it’s unreasonable to expect your top line to score five goals every game.
During his time in the NHL, Draisaitl has faced many tough times with defense in Edmonton. However, what’s happening now feels really different.
Since the end of January, Ingram has had a rough time with a save percentage of only . 850. He’s not making the key saves when the team needs a boost.
“Sounds like a broken record but just giving up too many goals. It’s hard to score 5, 6 goals every night.”
Leon Draisaitl after the Oilers 5-4 loss to the Sharks pic.twitter.com/VdzrOas51D
— Spittin’ Chiclets (@spittinchiclets) March 1, 2026
It’s true that the defense isn’t helping him much. But eventually, your main goalie has to step up and win a game, and right now, Ingram isn’t doing that.
Knoblauch needs to figure things out quickly before this bad stretch ruins their season. The way they kill penalties and their five-on-five defense seems really off.
If the Oilers can’t improve their defense in the zone, no amount of goals from Draisaitl or Connor McDavid will rescue them.
They require quick saves, and they must have clear passing when coming out of their zone. Until that is achieved, Draisaitl is justified in criticizing the bad performance.
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