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Oilers’ Leon Draisaitl doubles down on critical comments: ‘We all have to look in the mirror’
Photo credit: Kamil Krzaczynski-Imagn Images
Feb 24, 2026, 19:00 ESTUpdated: Feb 24, 2026, 19:19 EST
Leon Draisaitl said what he said: from top to bottom, the Edmonton Oilers have to be better in this last stretch of the regular season.
The German Olympian spoke to team media for the first time after rejoining the team, skating in his first practice in Anaheim ahead of the Oilers’ clash with the Ducks tomorrow night.
Before the break, his no-sugarcoating-it comments shook up Oilersnation, saying from top to bottom, including coaching, everyone needs to better.
He didn’t walk any of that sentiment back.
“We just have to be better. I stick to what I said,” Draisaitl said Tuesday. “It’s not just players have to be better, we all have to look in the mirror. It starts at the top. It goes all the way down. That’s just the way it is. And that’s not a knock at everyone.
“I wasn’t trying to throw anyone under the bus by any means. If anything, I throw myself first under the bus. But it’s just a fact. We have to be better, and we got to change some things. We’re in a race right now, with 20-some games left. We can’t be cruising around like maybe in years past, a little bit. We got to get going and, yeah, I stand by what I say, and I think everyone would probably agree that.”
Draisaitl said after the Oilers’ loss to Calgary on February 4 that the team wasn’t consistent enough, squandering an eight-game homestand and going 4-5 to end the slate.
Since then, the Oilers have also added Paul Coffey behind the bench as an assistant coach.
Although they sit second in the Pacific Division with a 28-22-8 record, four points back of the Vegas Golden Knights, the Oilers are eighth in the Western Conference in points percentage.
This western California roadtrip is consequential. If the Ducks beat the Oilers in regulation, Anaheim would leapfrog Edmonton in the standings.
Draisaitl said there aren’t many games that aren’t important at this stage of the season.
“We know the position we’re in. We got to win games. We have to bank in points and secure our spot in the playoff race,” said Draisaitl. “They’re [Anaheim] a good team. They’ve had a great year. They’ve taken a big step, so it’s going to be a challenge.”
It’s three games in four days for the Oilers. Their first game back is Tuesday, March 3 against the Ottawa Senators.
“We’ve only got 24 games left, and we are right on the line of making or not making playoffs,” said coach Kris Knoblauch after practice Tuesday.
“Especially this road trip, there’s not a stretch of games that are probably more important than they are right now, playing the California teams so, Anaheim being one of them. I believe they’re healthy, and they’ll be ready to play, and it’ll be important game for us tomorrow.”
Michael Menzies is an Oilersnation columnist and has been the play-by-play voice of the Bonnyville Pontiacs in the AJHL since 2019. With seven years news experience as the Editor-at-Large of Lakeland Connect in Bonnyville, he also collects vinyl, books, and stomach issues.
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