The Edmonton Oilers blueline has been helping carry the offensive load this year.
The Edmonton Oilers blueline has been helping carry the offensive load this year.
EDMONTON -- Some say a good offense is a good defense.
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In some ways, that rings true for the Edmonton Oilers.
Yes, they boast the offensive prowess of Connor McDavid and Leon Draisaitl. But this season, their defense has been contributing in a big way.
Mattias Ekholm and Evan Bouchard both have 10 points. Darnell Nurse upped his point totals to nine the other night. Brett Kulak has seven points of his own, four of which are goals.
To put it another way, the Oilers defense has had good offense.
All four defenders mentioned above are in the top 10 scorers for the Oilers this season. In fact, the only players who have scored more than those four blueliners are McDavid and Draisaitl.
Ekholm, Draisaitl, and McDavid all have two powerplay goals a piece. As the Oilers powerplay finds its footing, those numbers will only grow.
The Oilers pride themselves on speed and moving the puck, and the blueline is doing this more regularly. As everyone plays more, that confidence will skyrocket.
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In particular, Ekholm is on pace to beat last year's career season. With 10 points in 17 games, he is on his way to a 48-point season. Last year, he collected 45 points including a career-best 11 goals.
For the Oilers to return to the Stanley Cup Final, they must be firing on all cylinders. That includes having a good offense and a good defense.
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