Edmonton Oilers defender Troy Stecher has become an underrated contributor to the team this season, but last night he came close to having a bit of a conflict with defence Coach Paul Coffey.
Late in the third period in a two-goal game, Troy Stecher took a penalty to put the Oilers on a 5 on 3 penalty kill. Stecher thought Paul Coffey may have benched him after the play, but instead he got another chance, and made good on it.
"I thought my night might be over. Coff put me back out there, and just flung one to the net."- Troy Stecher
Paul Coffey's confidence to put Stecher right back on the ice after the penalty is a great coaching tactic from the NHL veteran - build the player's confidence right after a mistake instead of punishing.
Stecher made great on his opportunity, pinching down the wall and throwing a puck on the net. It gave the Oilers a massive 2 goal cushion in the final moments of the game.
Paul Coffey has taken the approach of always encouraging his defenceman to make plays, play with confidence, and lean on the Oilers elite forwards.
Stecher is playing like he's absolutely got the message, and is now moving up into becoming a regular in the lineup. After being signed as a depth player for two years, he's now got into 24 games this season and is proving great value for Edmonton at $775K in salary.
In the Oilers last game against Columbus, Stecher took a puck to the face and was rushed off the ice in a scary scene.
When asked how he was feeling after sustaining that injury, the journeyman defender had a legendary quote on pushing through the pain. That's the kind of player Stecher is.
Stecher has become a great addition to the Oilers roster this season. Hopefully even after the Oilers acquire a top four defender in trade, they can find a way to keep him around as the extra defender.
