Leon Draisaitl has never been one to wade into online debates. But on Friday, the Edmonton Oilers star found himself at the center of one after offering a rare and pointed public reaction.
A short clip from The Edmonton Sports Talk Hangout discussing, whether the Oilers’ core provides enough leadership during difficult stretches was posted to their Instagram account and it seems the panel’s critique didn’t go unnoticed.
On the show, analysts Jay Milne, Tom Gazzola, and Matt Iwanyk questioned whether the team’s direction has become too dependent on veteran support, even as Connor McDavid and Draisaitl enter the stage of their careers when top players typically take full control of the room.
“At this point, these guys that are the leaders of this team should have that ability to drag everyone into the fight with them, as opposed to just leading the charge and hoping everyone follows. And that element hasn’t happened yet, and we’re well into this thing,” Tom Gazzola said.
“I think this leadership group can still get it done; they just need support from good veterans. And I think that’s something we’ve seen multiple times now… they need that support system from good veterans, which is kinda frustrating ’cause these are guys entering their 30s now and should, should know by now,” he added.
It is the type of critique players usually ignore. But Draisaitl didn’t.
His response was a simple “Lol” left under the post, which drew thousands of likes and sent Oilers fans and critics into familiar debate territory: what exactly is expected of Edmonton’s stars?
Edmonton’s problem isn’t necessarily leadership
The Oilers’ leadership dynamic has been a storyline for years, intensified by back-to-back trips to the Stanley Cup Final in 2024 and 2025. Despite falling short against the Florida Panthers both times, McDavid and Draisaitl were the engines behind each deep run.
McDavid won the 2024 Conn Smythe Trophy, and the following spring, both stars posted 33 points, tied for the playoff lead.
Because of those performances, any suggestion that the pair lacks direction or presence is met with skepticism from supporters.
The reality, however, is more complicated. Leadership in the NHL is rarely a one- or two-player responsibility, and Edmonton’s recent seasons have shown how heavily the roster relies on depth pieces and steady veteran voices to stabilize the group. When the team goes through rough patches, that imbalance is exposed.
A season searching for stability
This year has done little to quiet the noise. Through 25 games, the Oilers sit at 10-10-5, a record that captures their uneven start perfectly. The offence continues to do its job, though. The team is scoring 3.08 goals per game, supported by a 27.9 percent power play that remains dangerous whenever McDavid and Draisaitl are on the ice.
But the issues that have haunted the team in past seasons are creeping in again. Edmonton is giving up 3.72 goals per game, which is a number that makes winning streaks difficult and one-goal leads feel fragile. Defensive lapses, missed assignments, and some inconsistent goaltending have placed enormous pressure on the very stars whose leadership is now being discussed publicly.
McDavid, who sits at 34 points in 25 games, continues to impose his usual standard. Draisaitl, with 29 points, is close behind and remains one of the league’s most dangerous dual threats. Safe to say, production has never been their problem.
Why the “leadership” debate never goes away
Edmonton’s stars are judged differently. With two of the sport’s most gifted players on one roster, every slump comes easily under the microscope. When the team struggles defensively as they have for long stretches of this season, the conversation inevitably shifts to leadership, even when the underlying issues are structural.
Coaches and executives have said repeatedly that leadership is not the reason the Oilers fall short. Breakdowns in coverage, depth inconsistencies, and, not so surprisingly, goaltending instability are.
Still, public debate rarely follows that nuance. And when the team’s top players are among the only ones producing at an elite clip, frustration from outside voices often lands in the wrong place.
If Edmonton wants another shot at the Cup, the top stars at the heart of the group, already performing at nearly a point-per-game pace, need support, not scrutiny.
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