The Edmonton Oilers can’t seem to catch a break! When Kris Knoblauch’s team hit the road last Tuesday, they hardly had anticipated such heartbreak was waiting for them. On Sunday, the back-to-back Stanley Cup finalists were handed their third straight defeat, this time by the Detroit Red Wings. At Little Caesars Arena today, the Oilers suffered a 4-2 loss, and Leon Draisaitl can’t help but acknowledge his part in the team’s shambolic run.

Sportsnet reporter Gene Principe took to X following the Edmonton-Detroit game to share Draisaitl’s comments on the visitors’ defeat.“You cant win scoring 1-2 goals a game. Its me I’m certainly not feeling it,” said Draisaitl. But being the seasoned NHL veteran that he is, Leon believes the losing streak could act as the perfect motivation.

“Take a look in the mirror and figure out a way fo get going,” the German hockey star said further, underscoring that the Oilers need to up their game and get back in full control. Draisaitl still shouldn’t be taking the entire responsibility. After all, it was his goal that put Edmonton within a hand’s reach of Sunday’s hosts at 7:33 of the third period. But critics weren’t ready to cut him any slack.

The Daily Faceoff’s Jason Gregor, too, thought Draisaitl’s performance was the reason behind Edmonton’s downfall on Sunday. “Draisaitl mishandling the puck on a breakaway perfectly illustrated Edmonton’s struggles today. They missed far too many passes, fanned on others, mishandled pucks all over the ice and generated very little offence,” Gregor wrote on a post on X. “All four road games on this trip have been ugly offensively,” he added, drawing attention to how the Oilers have consistently struggled against the Rangers, the Islanders, the Devils, and now the Red Wings, following their last victory over the Canucks at home. After the latest defeat, Coach Knoblauch agreed with Gregor’s take.

“Tonight there were a lot of missed passes and some poor execution. When the guys get some confidence and feel better about their games, we’ll execute those and get some momentum,” the Oilers’ boss said, but still couldn’t help but highlight his hopes for a better future even amidst the squad’s ongoing misery. Leon Draisaitl, though, couldn’t stop working himself up over the loss.

“I think we’re playing fine defensively, we’re just not scoring enough, and some of that is me. There is a different dynamic to the team when the top guys are feeling it, and I’m not there,” Draisaitl stated without deliberation. But fans shouldn’t worry too much. After all, Edmonton isn’t a team that lets its stars suffer alone, and Leon is the last person in the locker room who will need to walk the tumultuous path by himself.

The Oilers locker room won’t put Leon Draisaitl on trial

The Oilers’ captain knows the team is looking its worst in weeks. Of the six games the Western Conference team has played so far in the 2025-26 season, the Oilers have won only two. After the loss against New Jersey, Connor McDavid admitted that Edmonton’s power play situation has been woeful. “Obviously, our whole team’s just a little bit out of sync. Um, you know, not a lot of flow to our game. I don’t know. Yeah, just uh yeah, not connected enough even on the power play,” McDavid told reporters. Suffice to say, the leader isn’t looking to single out Leon Draisaitl.

Moreover, the chemistry between the squad captain and Draisaitl is well-known. During the championship series against the Panthers last season, the German made it clear that McDavid’s hockey acumen isn’t something someone can train to have. “You can’t learn that. Let me answer it for you,” Draisaitl told reporters after tying the series with the defending champions in Game 2. In the playoffs before that, McDavid also vowed revenge against the Vegas Golden Knights for a prior hit on Leon by Alex Pietrangelo two years ago.

Safe to say, the captain has Leon Draisaitl’s back. The Oilers continue on the road and are slated to face off against the Ottawa Senators on Tuesday at the Canadian Tire Center. Can the star duo tap into their reserves and finally come up with a winning formula? We’ll have to wait to see!