Colton Dach

So, yeah, I was happy with it.

Obviously, there was a big incident not to get too far away of the period, but Colton Dach drives the net, takes out Devin Cooley.

I don't think it was a malicious play by any means.

He's trying to drive himself to the net.

But I think just on that...

I really like that Colton Dach is showing a willingness to play a kind of a physical brand of hockey, which I do think this team does lack a bit of character on that side of things.

So I was happy to see him do that.

I really like Colton Dach.

And you're right, the cracks that the Oilers have shown a little bit, part of this is what we talked a little bit about last week.

I think there's definitely a human nature element or component of this when you have guys that reenter your lineup, particularly noticeable vets like Hyman and Nugent-Hopkins, and, uh, even Colton Dach has popped in a couple points here.

I think the general emotion from everyone is, is they kinda take their foot off the gas.

So that's happened a little bit.

Are you seeing some signs of life from everybody not wearing 97 or 29? No.

Well, I thought Docker had a real good night.

He played heavy.

He's a way better winger than he is a center.

But that's a guy I would like to see on the wing.

Again, I was in the coach's room with Docker for a number of years, and I was like, man, you have all these tools.

You have this size, this strength, this puck protection ability.

Do this, and then you can focus on adding the offense and stuff like that.

I'm not saying he's not doing that now.

But I want Docker to be able to step into that role because he has the skating, the skill, the size.

I just want him to add that consistent snarl.

You know what I mean? Just put a puck in.

Next up, I think it, uh, obviously pretty straightforward.

Nuge slides in as the second line centerman, which means Colton Dach will be, you know, fourth line centerman.

And the guy coming out, as of right now, I think it's Philip Hallander.

I- like, Ike Howard is doing everything he can to prove that he still deserves to stay in the lineup night tonight.

What I liked about him, he came back the other night, suddenly we had another line, we had size.

So for Docker, in my mind, he said it early, so I'm just going to keep using it with him.

He wanted to work on his game like Zach Hyman.

Well, if you want to work on your game like Zach Hyman and Pod Coles, and they work harder than anybody in hockey, so that's the first thing you need, and then you've got to play a heavy game.

Pods is a real player who gives them a dimension just like Himes would give them.

We need Docker to become one of those guys as well.

You know, I just think he's a real good player, but what he is is a better person, better man, and he drives his teammates out by what he says because we get confused with leadership.

It's not what you say, it's what you do, and it's what you model each and every day, and he does it right.

When we get other people back, that doesn't mean they're playing together.

It's just we were in a spot that we felt we really needed to push with one group and survive with the rest.

Now, you saw right away in the game the other night, as soon as Docker's line came on the ice and they played in the O-Zone and they were heavy, it's a way different thing.

So over time...