EDMONTON, AB - Dave Tippett patrolled the ice after the Oilers broke from their final huddle at Monday's practice, seeking out one-on-one conversations with more than one player.
It's not uncommon for the bench boss to regularly engage with his players directly at the end of practice, in the time between drills, or before the group congregates in front of the whiteboard.
But with eight heavy tilts on the docket before teams around the NHL break for the holidays, this time around took on extra importance.
"You're always having conversations with guys, but coming off last night and coming into this stretch before Christmas, this is a critical time for our team," Tippett said.
"I'm just making sure everybody knows where they stand and what our expectations are going into the next couple of weeks."
BLOG: Tippett's direct one-on-one approach
"I'm just making sure everybody knows where they stand and what our expectations are going into the next couple of weeks," Head Coach Dave Tippett said
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