'We Call It Road Hockey': Ryan Nugent-Hopkins And The Oilers Aren't Worried About Their Powerplay

Oilers players and coaches stress patience and adjustment with their struggling powerplay.

Perry Nelson-Imagn Images - 'We Call It Road Hockey': Ryan Nugent-Hopkins And The Oilers Aren't Worried About Their Powerplay

The powerplay has long been the Oilers' not-so-secret weapon.

Not so this year, as they've gotten off to an abysmal start with only one goal in 15 opportunities so far. But if you ask the members of that powerplay, there's not much to worry about.

"Obviously, there's no panic needed," Ryan Nugent-Hopkins said after practice on Monday. "I thought we've done some really good things on the powerplay for the last couple games and it just hasn't gone."

[embed]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=anhxkIo-jx4[/embed]

The Oilers have suffered from a low shooting percentage with the man advantage this year, but it can't all be chalked up to puck luck. They've only produced 1.98 expected goals on the powerplay this year, far below their usual standards.

"The chances that we've been generating have probably just been average in the NHL," said head coach Kris Knoblauch. "I know that's what the analytics say."

"For this group, that isn't what it usually is," he continued. "But it's only six games in, if it goes a little bit longer, then we've got some concern."

That means that for now, the powerplay personnel will stay as it is.

"I've been talking to [assistant coach Glen Gulutzan] about it, and he's been here for a while," Knoblauch said. "[Changing the powerplay] has been mentioned every year, and every year they persevere and they show why they're an elite powerplay."

[embed]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=p3jNVdaVaZA[/embed]

Knoblauch also iterated that the top unit will continue to get the vast majority of the minutes with the man advantage, despite an improved second unit.

"Splitting down the middle and saying 50/50, I think that's kind of not realistic," he told reporters. "A lot of teams that do that, most of them don't have very good powerplays."

Still, the team recognizes that adjustments might have to be made.

"I think PKs are evolving right now," said Nugent-Hopkins. "I think that [adjusting] has been something that our powerplay has been good at over the years, we call it road hockey, just playing and finding things that are there and available."

Referring it to "road hockey" shows how the Oilers think of their vaunted powerplay: just five talented players having fun playing together. So far this year, however, the Oilers have had a lot of pucks (or balls) sail past the net and bounce all the way down the road, as it were. There's a downside to road hockey.

"We've got to be sharper," Nugent Hopkins said. "We can get better."

Bookmark The Hockey News Edmonton Oilers team site to never miss news, interviews, or any other updates on the Oilers.