didn’t call anyone out. He didn’t rip anyone. He simply told the harsh truth about the current state of the Edmonton Oilers.

Draisaitl wasn’t yelling or angry in his post-game scrum after another disappointing loss, the third this season, to the Calgary Flames. Draisaitl just spoke the truth, and he did it how a leader should. He included everyone: coaches, skaters, leaders and goalies. But if you read social media, you’d think Draisaitl had torn a strip off his teammates and insulted their families. The overreaction to Draisaitl’s comments, while not surprising due to the time we live in, was over the top and inaccurate.

Draisaitl acted like a leader. He was blunt and direct in his post-game assessment of the entire team, because if the Oilers are going to go on another long playoff run, they need to coach better, play better defence and play better in goal.

“We are just giving up too many goals. Can’t defend. The penalty kill is not great, and there are many things that are a part of it. Just not good enough right now,” said Draisaitl.

spoke before Draisaitl, and he said he needed to be better. He does. He made some key stops on breakaways, but then he let in two goals he should have stopped. The Oilers need to limit the high-danger chances, and Jarry needs to reduce weak goals.

Draisaitl was honest about Jarry’s comment on how he needs to make more saves.

“It goes hand in hand,” began Draisaitl. “We have to defend better, we have to make it easier on him and then, I’m sure, he can be at little bit better too. It is a two-way street, and it starts with us in front of him and then the game becomes a bit easier for him. I think there are saves our goalies need to make at some point.”

That isn’t calling out Jarry or Connor Ingram. It is simply stating a fact. The players need to be much better in front of the goalie, and there are shots the goalies need to stop. Both can be true at the same time.

Draisaitl was asked if they’ve reached the point where they should be concerned.

“We’re not consistent enough,” Draisaitl said. “This league’s too hard to just lollygag through games and try to get winning streaks going. You need everybody. It starts with coaches. Everybody. You’re never going to win if you have four or five guys going. It starts at the top. We can be better; our leaders can be better.”

Bingo. It isn’t just the goalie. It isn’t just one defence pair, or the bottom six. It is all four lines, three defence pairs, both goalies and the coaching staff. None of them have been consistent enough.

Draisaitl doesn’t believe they can just rest on past experiences to get through this.

“We’re a different team. We’re not the same team. We’re not as good right now. We’re not even close, and we need to understand that. When we come back (from the break) we have to get going,” said one of Germany’s........

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