Much is on the line for Leon Draisaitl.
The dynamic duo of Leon Draisaitl and Connor McDavid on the Edmonton Oilers has excited fans for years, but it's been a long time since the team clinched a championship victory. In 2024, they finally made it to the finals, thanks to a newfound skill they've developed.
The comparisons with hockey legend Wayne Gretzky and the iconic 80s era, the long wait for Canada's Stanley Cup: "Yes, there's more at stake," says Draisaitl with a laugh, as he prepares to play with the Oilers in the NHL title game starting Saturday. The mission has historical significance, and the excitement is already astronomical.
"The media attention, all the things you have to go through until Saturday. It's a lot going on - outside," says the 28-year-old, "you have to block that out. We're here to win the Stanley Cup."
Winning games in every way possible
The first Cup for the Oilers since 1990, the first for a Canadian team since 1993 - with a roster filled with high-profile players reminiscent of the Gretzky and Co. era of the 80s. The pressure is intense. "When the puck drops, it's hockey. We'll try to play our best game, they'll try. Everyone wants to impose their will on the other," says Draisaitl before the first of seven possible battles with the Florida Panthers on Sunday night (2 a.m./Sky). "It's been like that for the past two months."
The Oilers have made it through against the Los Angeles Kings, the Vancouver Canucks, and the Dallas Stars - sometimes by showcasing their offensive prowess with Draisaitl and McDavid, other times with a tenacious defensive effort, a newfound asset. "We can win games no matter how many goals we score, how few goals we score, or how dirty the win is," believes Draisaitl.
Remarkable goal scorers
Most notably, their superstar power has earned comparisons to legends. Behind McDavid's 31 points and Draisaitl's 28 is defenseman Evan Bouchard, who lands in the top three of playoff scorers with 27 points. Only twice before have three players from one team had 1.5 points or more per game: 1985 and 1988, when Gretzky, Jari Kurri, and Paul Coffey made history, winning the Cup.
McDavid is still six assists short of breaking one of Gretzky's records from 1988. Bouchard needs just eleven points to beat Coffey's defender record from 1985. And Draisaitl already has 41 goals in his 67 playoff games, the best goal-scoring rate since 2000.
National coach expects a Nowitzki-like impact
That Florida, who were finalists last year, will pose a challenge is nothing new for Draisaitl: "We won't be intimidated by that." If the Panthers overcompensate, Edmonton's powerplay - with a success rate of 37%, the second-best in NHL history - will come into play. And if Draisaitl and company overpower Florida, their stellar penalty kill - the best in playoff history - will be used.
In the end, the Cologne native could create German sports history while elevating the sport to a higher platform. Just like Dirk Nowitzki did with his NBA title in 2011. "Just like Dirk brought basketball to a new level, Leon will do the same," believes Uwe Krupp, the first German Stanley Cup winner, "with the title, there will be more attention."
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Leon Draisaitl and his teammate Connor McDavid have been shining in the NHL, leading the Edmonton Oilers, but they have yet to clinch an NHL championship since 1990. During the 2024 NHL finals, Draisaitl mentioned, "We have to block out the media attention and all the things going on outside, we're here to win the Stanley Cup."
Leon Draisaitl has been a vital part of the Edmonton Oilers' success in the NHL, especially in the 2024 Stanley Cup playoffs. His exceptional performance in scoring 28 points during the playoffs has contributed to the team's fighting spirit, as they aim to bring the Stanley Cup trophy home to Canada for the first time since 1993.
