How Ty Emberson quietly became a vital part of the Oilers penalty kill

After a disappointing start to the 2024-25 season (Again)The Edmonton Oilers are heating up, proving why they remain one of the league’s top Cup contenders. Since November 7, Edmonton is 14-4-1, which equates to a fantastic 0.763 points percentage ranking First of all in the NHL during this period.

From the emergence of the Darnell Nurse-Brett Kulak duo to the two-way dominance of Leon Draisaitl, many factors explain Edmonton’s recent resurgence. But one relatively underrated area of ​​improvement in their game is their penalty kill.

Despite their slow start, the Oilers have been surprisingly good defensively at 5-on-5 to start the year, ranking 13th in the league in goals allowed at 5-on-5 per hour. While certainly not great in all respects, 5v5 defense wasn’t their most concerning issue.

Unfortunately, they still ranked well below average in total goals allowed, mainly due to a terrible penalty kill. Through the first 14 games, they allowed 15 shorthanded goals.

Fortunately, there has been a significant turnaround in this area. Since November 7, the Oilers have only allowed 5 penalty goals in 18 games. Their PK% of 88 percent during that span ranks second in the league.

It is reasonable to point out that goaltending is the main area for improvement; after all, their PK SV% went from a terrible 0.694 (!) to 0.886. However, the coaching staff made another mid-season adjustment that had a significant impact: the promotion of defenseman Ty Emberson.

In mid-August, Emberson was acquired by the Oilers from the San Jose Sharks in exchange for defenseman Cody Ceci and a 2025 third-round draft pick.. Emberson immediately became Edmonton’s youngest defenseman in the NHL at age 24 and by far the most inexperienced, with only 30 NHL games under his belt.

Edmonton’s deep right defense saw a significant shake-up last summer. Alongside the departure of Cody Ceciright hand drive Vincent Desharnais also left in free agency. During the 2023-24 regular season, Ceci led Oilers defensemen in TOI per game on the PK, while Desharnais led the team in the 2024 playoffs; Even though Ceci and Desharnais weren’t really essential players, the departure of two heavily used shorthanded defenders forced Edmonton to change their deployment.

Here is a comparison of Edmonton defenders in TOI/GP on the PK in the first 14 games versus the last 18 games: