Oilers, Flames use different styles to achieve success

The Coaches Room is a regular feature throughout the 2021-22 season by former NHL coaches and assistants who will turn their critical gaze to the game and explain it through the lens of a teacher. Rocky Thompson and Dave Barr will take turns providing insight.
In this edition, Thompson, who was an assistant with the Edmonton Oilers in 2014-15 and an associate coach with the San Jose Sharks in 2020-21, takes a close look at two Western Conference teams that are off to strong starts, the Edmonton Oilers and Calgary Flames.

The Edmonton Oilers and Calgary Flames, two of the best Western Conference teams this season, are using different styles for success, a contrast I find intriguing.
I should point out off the top that I have a piece of my heart in each camp. I was born in Calgary, grew up a Flames fan, was drafted by them in the 1995 NHL Draft (No. 72) and played my first NHL game as a member of the Flames. I also played and coached in the Oilers organization for 11 seasons. So, everyone should know I'm excited for a revived Battle of Alberta, as are all Albertans. Exciting times are on the horizon in this rivalry.
The Oilers (15-5-0) have started strongly with two catalysts, centers Connor McDavid and Leon Draisaitl. Draisaitl leads the NHL with 40 points (20 goals, 20 assists) in 20 games and McDavid is third with 36 points (14 goals, 22 assists).
Coach Dave Tippett has used them on separate lines frequently this season but likes to unite them when he can, a great option to have.
In my eye, each player is getting better, which contributes to Edmonton's success, but another major factor this season is the addition of Zach Hyman, who has scored 15 points (nine goals, six assists). He's such a workhorse and brings the mentality of a junkyard dog, along with his skill, especially to the front of the net. He's an infectious presence with that kind of mentality. I believe Edmonton's compete level has gone up because of him.

When you look at systems, there's nothing earth-shattering for the Oilers. Their transition game is interesting in that it's not the way many teams have changed to letting the puck do the work and playing fast. That's not a particular strength for the Oilers, who drop back more and make handoff plays, largely because of McDavid's and Draisaitl's ability to skate through coverage.
While dangerous, it's a transition game that limits them when it comes to their third and fourth lines. The struggles by their defensemen to effectively move the puck may be the cause for this system.
That said, what Edmonton does very well is go from defense to offense quickly. When they're defending and come up with the puck, they're gone. It's how they generate many of their odd-man rushes. That's an eye-popper for me.
Concern about depth scoring remains. I see a lot of positives in Kailer Yamamoto's game but with five points (four goals, one assist) in 20 games, he's got to score more based on the quality of his linemates. In the bottom six, I like the addition of Warren Foegele, who has scored eight points (two goals, six assists), but outside of the recent move of Jesse Puljujarvi into this group, he's been by himself. The fourth line lacks an identity.
Edmonton is in the middle of the pack in 5-on-5 play, outscored 46-43 through 20 games. They're a little bit exposed right now with injuries to defensemen Darnell Nurse and Duncan Keith.
Special teams are carrying Edmonton. The Oilers are first in power play (37.7 percent) and tied for fourth in penalty killing (87.1 percent). They have outscored their opposition's power play 23-8.
The Flames (13-4-5) do it a different way.
Their special teams have been a positive. The power play is seventh (24.6 percent) and penalty killing is sixth (87 percent), outscoring the opposition's power play 15-8.
It's at 5-on-5 where Calgary shines, outscoring its opponents 44-23.
The Flames protect the middle ice well and you see it with backchecking and defensive-zone coverage. They use a traditional zone coverage that shifts to a hybrid man-on-man when the opposition takes the puck into high ice in the offensive zone. But in that high danger scoring area, the Flames are solid. They don't let you come into that ice often or easily.

The result is that Calgary is not stuck in its own end much.
In the offensive zone, they love to use the high ice effectively. When the puck comes from low to high, a forward moves toward the blue line every time to be an option for a play. That's hard to cover for some teams.
The Flames are getting effective play from each of their four lines. Balance is important, skill players like Sean Monahan have found a home among the bottom-six forwards.
Another major improvement has been a consistent net-front presence, which has helped Calgary average 3.23 goals per game, up from the 2.77 goals per game last season.
Coach Darryl Sutter has said one of the Flames' biggest issues is finishing chances. They're around the net a lot, screening and getting to rebounds, which should lead to more goals. It wasn't happening last season. It may not be as pretty, but blue-collar goals count the same as skill goals.
The Flames aren't over-taxing their personnel because their bottom-six forwards have earned time on the power play and penalty kill. Forwards Milan Lucic, Tyler Pitlick, Brad Richardson, Trevor Lewis, Monahan, and third-pair defenseman Erik Gudbranson are each part of the special teams rotation. Balanced ice time allows the Flames to play with pace night after night.
It also can't be overlooked that goalie Jacob Markstrom has been lights out (9-4-4, 1.75 goals-against average, .938 save percentage). Structured play helps Markstrom, but he has made the big saves when needed.
The labors to understand and implement what Sutter wants are starting to bear fruit. When you play the Flames, they give you very little. If you are going to beat them, you're going to have to earn it. Because of Calgary's consistency this season, that hasn't happened often.