The Imminently Most Expensive Athletics Figure globally is grappling with severe discomfort
Despite the relief from the recent weddings and the hefty payday, Leon Draisaitl's bitter memory of the NHL final loss lingers on. "You never fully let go of it," he candidly admitted to the Sports Information Service. 106 days following their elimination in the seventh Stanley Cup final, Draisaitl and the Edmonton Oilers are trying again for the prestigious trophy.
Draisaitl has unfinished business: his ultimate goal is to be hailed as a hero at the old stomping ground of Wayne Gretzky – nothing less. As a result, he sealed an eight-year deal worth a whopping $112 million, making him the highest-paid ice hockey player globally, and refused to explore the free market. "We've come up short thrice in a row," the 28-year-old German emphasizes, all set for the Oilers' season opener against the Winnipeg Jets, "we're close but not quite there yet."
Unshakable regret
Draisaitl believes: he can only truly move past his deepest regret once he physically grasps the misshapen silver trophy. "Then you can possibly accept it. But until then, it remains with you, perhaps forever."
After a tumultuous journey marked by a disastrous start, two thrilling winning streaks, tensed playoffs, a dramatic goal in the final series, a swift turnaround after three early losses, and a crushing defeat, Draisaitl tried to distract himself. In July, he popped the question to his sweetheart Celeste Desjardins in a secluded cove on Mallorca. Subsequently, he attended the wedding of his teammate Connor McDavid on a private island in Ontario, and in August, he cheered at his sister Kim's wedding to German national hockey player Niklas Wellen in Krefeld, whom he had visited in Paris for the Olympic final. "I kept myself busy that summer," he chuckled, referring to the number of activities.
"Hockey's country at its finest"
Before stepping back on the ice again, he signed an extended contract with Edmonton until 2033, effectively overlapping his previous one. "This has become our home, the city's love for hockey is infectious," he explained. Relocating to Florida, for instance, to the victorious Panthers, to escape the pressure in Canada, which has waited for a Stanley Cup victory since 1990, was out of the question for him. "Living on the beach, having a pool at home, it's all nice," he conceded, "but nowhere compares to the passion thats Canada has for hockey."
And the "Cologne boy" has adapted to the perks of fame – being recognized and approached everywhere. "I'm well-equipped to handle it," he claimed, despite his often stated dislike for being in the spotlight and celebrating his achievements. From Wednesday on, everyone's eyes will be on him again.
I'm not going to sugarcoat it: the NHL final loss still haunts me.
Despite the distractions of weddings and celebrations, I can't fully move on until I lift that trophy.
