EDMONTON – Physicality.
In hockey circles, physicality is cited as a quality a team needs to win hockey games. This is often quantified by the hits thrown.
The Edmonton Oilers are not strong in this category. However, this season they are proving that a team doesn’t have to score to dominate the NHL.
Hitting a lot does not equal winning
The top five teams in hits are the Florida Panthers, Boston Bruins, Vancouver Canucks, Nashville Predators and Toronto Maple Leafs. The results are a mixed bag.
The Panthers lead the league with 1,181 hits. They also have the sixth-best power play and the twelfth-best penalty kill. They are ranked fourth in the Eastern Conference and are eighth in the NHL in points.
The Bruins rank second overall with 1,156 hits. They have the second-worst power play and the eighth-worst penalty kill. Their even play is the driving force behind their success. They are sixth in the Eastern Conference and have the fifteenth most points.
The Predators have the 20th best power play and the third best penalty kill. They are 30th in the NHL in points and third in the Western Conference.
Toronto is second in the Eastern Conference and fifth overall in points. The penalty kill is seventh best, and the power play is 18th best.
After all, the Canucks are eighth in the Western Conference. They are 13th overall in points. Vancouver has the 14th best power play and the 13th best penalty kill.
As you can see, the teams that have thrown the most hits have had mixed results.
Oilers are a top team in the NHL
Since early November, the Oilers have been one of the top teams in the NHL. They are also fourth in the Western Conference standings and sixth in points.
Their special teams have rebounded and now rank 10th in power play and 23rd in penalty kill effectiveness.
The Oilers rank eighth in goals against per game at 3.30 and eighth in goals against per game played at 2.73. Their special teams aren’t exceptional, proving that their equally strong offense and defense drive this team.
As a team, the Oilers have thrown 517 hits. They rank 32nd in the league in hits.
Other teams are having success with the Oilers approach
The Oilers are not alone in their hitless streak. The Dallas Stars, Tampa Bay Lightning and Vegas Golden Knights are among the league’s other top teams achieving similar results.
The Golden Knights rank first in the league in points (59) and top the Western Conference. They have thrown 776 hits, which ranks 26th in the NHL. They also have the seventh-best power play with the 20th-ranked penalty kill.
The Lightning have the fourth-best power play. They rank seventh in the Eastern Conference and sixteenth in the league in points. They have thrown the third fewest hits with 640.
Finally, the Stars are the 31st team in hits thrown with 569 hits. They have the second-best penalty kill and one of the worst power plays in the league (27th overall). They are 10th in the league in points and sixth in the Western Conference.
Like it or not, this is the direction the NHL is heading. Each team on this low hit list also excels at a different facet of hockey.
Conversely, teams with high hit totals do well regardless of how many they hit.
Physicality cannot replace exceptional offense and/or defense.
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