Oilers' Key Defenders Need to Step Up This Season
Edmonton Oilers have two top-six defenders who need to improve there defence in one specific area.
The Edmonton Oilers defense wasn't bad last year, but you can always improve. The biggest focus for them this season is preventing goals against - and the defenders need to give their goaltenders the best chance to make those saves. The best way to achieve this is by limiting high danger chances.
Now expected goals against is a metric calculated by assigning a value to each shot that is taken based on location, type, distance, and some other factors the defensemen who had the worst expected goals against per 60 (xGA/60) and Corsi against per 60 (CA/60) were Brett Kulak and Cody Ceci. Kulak was the worst in both metrics.
But when you think about his play, the first thing that comes to mind is just how quick he is. He's arguably the best skater on the Oilers blueline. He also makes simple plays that allow him to move the puck out of the zone economically.
One big thing with Kulak is his percentage of shorthanded time on ice. His shorthanded time on ice went up 11% in 2022-23. If he plays less on the penalty kill and more at even strength, his expected goals against (and high danger chances against) could improve. If Philip Broberg really gels with Mattias Ekholm, I could see him getting a lot of those short handed minutes instead of Kulak.
It will take the players over a month to get acclimated once the season starts. By then we will get a tiny glimpse into how the Oilers shift the defence pairings in order to limit those high danger chances against. The team is hungry to win now and will do everything they can to achieve that.
