Leon Draisaitl is among the greatest gamers within the NHL. He’s had a outstanding hockey journey with the Edmonton Oilers up to now, and he’s removed from completed. The upcoming 2023-24 common season shall be his tenth within the NHL, and what a profession the 27-year-old, 6-foot-2, 208-pounder has solid on Canada’s prairies.
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This season marks a major milestone in his profession. The German-born hockey sensation’s title has develop into nearly as synonymous with this present Oilers group as Connor McDavid’s. That’s saying one thing! Collectively that twosome has been lighting up the hockey world for eight seasons collectively.
Three Key Takeaways from Taking a look at Draisaitl’s Profession
Draisaitl was chosen by the Oilers within the first spherical (third general) through the 2014 NHL Entry Draft. It didn’t take him lengthy earlier than he hit NHL ice, taking part in seven video games through the 2014-15 season. As soon as he discovered his NHL legs, he’s been unstoppable. He’s dominated.
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On this publish, I hope to take a chance to rejoice his outstanding journey and accomplishments. As I have a look at his statistics, it’s straightforward to see not less than three key takeaways from his profession.
Takeaway One: Draisaitl Has Been a Constant Scoring Menace
Draisaitl’s profession statistics present simply how highly effective of a scorer he’s been. Over the course of his decade with the Oilers, he’s performed 638 regular-season video games. In these video games, he’s scored 306 objectives and added 438 assists (for 744 factors). What makes him particular is his consistency as a scorer. Season after season, he’s ranked among the many league’s greatest scorers.
Within the 2018-19 season, Draisaitl scored a powerful 50 objectives and totaled 105 factors. The next season, he didn’t hit 50, however he registered extra factors (with 43 objectives and 67 assists for 110 factors) in simply 71 video games. Within the COVID-shortened 2020-21 season, he even improved his recreation. In solely 56 video games, he scored 31 objectives and 53 assists for 84 factors. In 2021-22, he hit his excessive of 55 objectives, including 55 assists for 100 factors. Then, final season, he exploded with 52 objectives however nearly an assist-per-game fee, with 76 assists in 80 video games.
Takeaway Two: Draisaitl Has Grow to be a Playmaking Wizard
Final season’s help whole suggests simply how good Draisaitl is as a playmaker. Clearly, Draisaitl’s goal-scoring capability is outstanding; nevertheless, his playmaking abilities are equally robust. He has a complete of 438 assists throughout his profession, which reveals how robust he’s been as a setup man.
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His NHL friends consider that Draisaitl is one of the best pure passer within the league, and his imaginative and prescient and passing capability not solely result in his personal mounting level totals but additionally work to raise the performances of his teammates. His capability to be each a scorer and a playmaker cements his standing as an entire ahead. He’s greater than able to dictating the tempo of the sport.
Takeaway Three: Draisaitl Has a Large Playoff Influence
All of the totals I’ve famous to this point seek advice from Draisaitl’s contributions through the common season; nevertheless, he’s develop into much more priceless through the postseason. He can actually carry a group to victory. In 49 playoff video games, he has proven his postseason energy by scoring 31 objectives and including 46 assists (for 77 factors throughout postseason play). He has the distinctive capability to raise his recreation throughout probably the most tough play. There’s no wilting in his recreation!
Actually, two seasons in the past, Draisaitl performed a key position in guiding the Oilers via the playoffs. Recreation after recreation, he demonstrated his clutch play in crucial moments. Much more astounding is that he was principally taking part in on one leg and thru continuous and large ache.
Particularly, Los Angeles Kings defenseman Mikey Anderson hauled Draisaitl down from behind throughout a scrum and injured Draisaitl’s ankle in Recreation 6 of the Oilers’ opening-round collection. Solely later, after the postseason was within the books did Draisaitl fess up in regards to the harm. He joined Sportsnet’s Elliotte Friedman and Jeff Marek on the 32 Ideas Podcast the place he talked about what he was going via.
“Clearly it was a excessive ankle sprain. I feel everybody knew that. The second I’d catch it in a recreation, only a toe would get caught or I twisted in a route the place usually it does nothing, the ache would simply shoot proper up my physique and take all my vitality out. It was positively painful, very painful. There was plenty of remedy happening.”
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He added that plenty of gamers had been taking part in via harm as effectively. However in his case, he famous with a way of self-deprecating humor that, “it took me a short time to get the grasp of it with altering my recreation a bit bit. The sport after I used to be attempting to push off, I simply had no pop, no soar and I used to be getting annoyed with it. I used to be like ‘I can’t beat guys, I don’t know what to do now.’ I’m not one of the best skater on the planet to start with, however I simply needed to change my recreation a bit bit, and gradual it down much more, if that’s even attainable.”
What Will Draisaitl’s tenth Season Look Like?
In 2023-24, Draisaitl enters his tenth season with the Oilers. What can followers anticipate? The reply is easy: Oilers’ followers are lucky in that they’ll proceed to view excellence and an unwavering dedication to greatness — not simply from this one outstanding participant, however from one other as effectively. That’s McDavid.
Each these hockey journeys are taking place collectively, which provides Oilers’ followers one thing price watching recreation after recreation. Draisaitl additionally serves as an inspiration to younger hockey gamers globally. He’s an instance of what a participant can obtain with dedication, talent, and an unrelenting drive towards excellence.
In Draisaitl’s case, his impression on the ice goes far past his statistics, though these statistics are superior. He contributes considerably to the general success and competitiveness of his group.
The Oilers’ Season Guarantees to Be a Good One
As Draisaitl and the Oilers put together for one more season, the group’s ardour, focus, and willpower shall be seen at work in the best way that their recreation is performed. Evening after evening, the Oilers and their followers come able to be surprised by the magic they see on the ice.
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In that magic, Draisaitl helps prepared the ground. Can the Oilers obtain an excellent longer journey for a Stanley Cup? It could be nice to see one land again house in Canada. The Oilers have nearly as good an opportunity as any NHL group.
