In the aftermath of the disappointing Game 1 loss in the Western Conference Final in Dallas, Leon Draisaitl reportedly went against one of hockey`s most guarded unwritten rules within the dressing room environment.
This principle, informally known as `The Code`, has a widely understood tenet: players should refrain from criticizing areas of the team or specific roles they are not directly involved in or responsible for.
In practical terms, this means that goaltenders don`t publicly critique skaters (and vice versa), forwards typically don`t offer unsolicited advice to defensemen on defensive tactics, and a player who isn`t a regular member of a struggling penalty kill unit is generally expected to keep their opinions to themselves regarding the unit`s performance, especially when it has adversely affected the team during the playoffs.
However, Draisaitl addressed the issue directly following the 6-3 defeat, a loss heavily influenced by the performance of the penalty kill units. “We absolutely have to stay out of the penalty box,” Draisaitl stated from the Oilers` locker room. “Penalties are going to happen in a game. When they do, you have to be able to get the kill.”
Tristan Blackwood