Friedman: Oilers "really looked hard for centres"
/Elliotte Friedman was on Sportsnet 960 Friday morning.
On the Edmonton Oilers, Leon Draisaitl and how they’ve approached the situation given that they really didn’t give themselves any other options as a second line centre:
“No, I was surprised about that. I really was surprised. I don’t think it’s ever good to have an 18-year-old on your team simply because you don’t have a better option. He has gotten better. I’m curious to see if he’ll last past 40. He’s also eligible to go to the world juniors, and I think that’s a possibility too.
“But I know the Oilers really looked hard for centres and they just didn’t like what was available out there.
“I’m not 100 percent thrilled with the rationale. But the way the kid is playing, I’d be more worried are they crushing his confidence and it doesn’t appear that’s happening.”
Source: Sportsnet 960/ Transcript: Nichols on Hockey