Player Discussion Leon "Dr Drai" Draisaitl: The Next Episode

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The Nuge

Some say…
Jan 26, 2011
27,330
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British Columbia
I couldn't resist. Continue.
What impressed me the most is how Draisaitl got up the ice really fast and even beat Patrick Kane and fight him off of all players to feed Hall for the one-timer. We got some great young guys in McDavid and Draisaitl.



Since moving to center, he has had to face Kopitar/Toews and hasn't missed a beat. He is playing so well right now.

That is always why I liked the nickname Panzer over Dr. Drai. It fits his style more.

Can't be... wasn't MacT the GM and Stu the head scout? He, Nurse and (Tambo's) Klefbom are all busts right?

Stu was great in the first round. It was rounds 2-7 that his drafting was weak. People like to blame Stu for those picks but the scouting staff was instructed to select size over BPA after round 1. Management felt they had enough skill in the top six and wanted to focus on bottom six players and big defencemen.

I've been pimping Draisaitl since I knew we wouldn't get Ekblad, and even I have to admit I didn't think he'd be this good for 2-3 more years.

Is it just me or does every goalie play lights out against the Oilers?
Super frustrating :rant:

So many good plays, watching him is really very impressive. He's so strong on the puck in the defensive end and just boxes out players and takes the puck away like it's nothing, and seems to always be making the right play at the offensive blue line. I've also been quite impressed by how quickly he's getting shots off in tight and putting them upstairs, a lot of our players would shoot those low or into the crest.

I admit I was skeptical that he'd be able to translate his game that well, but he's been looking just great for a while now.

That's the wrong way to think the game nowadays. If RNH is playing "3rd" line, then it's not really a 3rd line. It would be depth on C that would allow us to roll three 1st lines, and/or combine them into 1 line (for example move Drai to wing) when the situation arises. Having three 1st line centres is a luxury that you shouldn't just throw away.

I think I am emotionally Scarred and unable to truly enjoy Leon's current success.

I've been a Leon supporter for a long time. Always thought he was the right pick for the Oilers.

Bennett had/still has the potential to be the better player, but I always thought Bennetts Skill set would be more difficult to transfer to the NHL and would also take longer. I also think the eastern media bias has overblown his top end by a bit as well.

I followed Leon closely in junior when we sent him down and watched him frequently as well. I watched every memorial cup games he, Nurse, and Mcdavid were in to boot.

His body of work, including: skating, puck moving, shooting, face offs, and overall defensive play were bring raved about. He won much deserved hardware that should have put him higher on some peoples radar.

In short I feel Leon's low end was certainly higher than Bennetts and his high end potential really had no real limits. Elite #1 center has always been in the cards for this kid and at the moment seems likely.

6 goals, 14 points, in 9 games is beyond impressive.

However, the reason I say I can't enjoy it is because the oilers never seem to truly improve. The small sample size and super high shooting rate will most likely come back down to earth at some point.

Adding Mcdavid back into this lineup seems too good to be true. So we will see what happens as the season goes on.

EDIT: As good as he is playing RNH is still untouchable. Not sure why anyone would think otherwise. Some of Leons success is due to Hall as well, something we shouldn't forget.

I want to see the current lines stay together even when McDavid comes back and put McDavid on the third line with Yak and Hendricks. Easily the best three lines I think this team could put together.

We all feel your pain and I think everyone knows around these parts that cautious optimism is the only form of it that still exists; however, I have never seen a recent version of the Oilers that has won as many 50-50 puck battles, including Draisaitl, against top-tier teams like Chicago and LA. Once again, cautious optimism.
 
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Gambl0r83*

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Every time he scores at home, they play the instrumental dr dre song right before the face-off
That should be the goal song going forward, the one right now is sooo lame
 
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DrDrai

The OG
Jan 28, 2007
5,129
5,577
Edmonton
I've always thought he would become our #1 at some point (before the event).
He's such a special and unique talent, last year gave me a scare how he was thrown in there, but he has responded to every challenge going forward. Hopefully this trend just continues
 

Dallas

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Mar 20, 2002
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Regarding the comments about keeping RNH long term in spite of Draisaitl's development, I think posters have to realize that you can't have a third line center earning 6 million/year in the cap world. Sure, it may be feasible for the next year or two while Connor and Leon are on their entry level contracts, but beyond that RNH will likely be the odd man out. He is our most valuable, potentially expendable asset. If you can get a true top pairing D for RNH, you make that deal all day long (and I'm not talking about a d-man like Hamonic)
 

McJC

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May 2, 2010
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Edmonton
Regarding the comments about keeping RNH long term in spite of Draisaitl's development, I think posters have to realize that you can't have a third line center earning 6 million/year in the cap world. Sure, it may be feasible for the next year or two while Connor and Leon are on their entry level contracts, but beyond that RNH will likely be the odd man out. He is our most valuable, potentially expendable asset. If you can get a true top pairing D for RNH, you make that deal all day long (and I'm not talking about a d-man like Hamonic)

I'd rather play Nuge/Drai at wing and have Eberle/Yak as the odd man out. But hey, if that top pairing D is available, everyone on the team is available except McDavid and Hall.
 

McFlyingV

Registered User
Feb 22, 2013
22,442
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Edmonton, Alberta
I'd rather play Nuge/Drai at wing and have Eberle/Yak as the odd man out. But hey, if that top pairing D is available, everyone on the team is available except McDavid and Hall.
So would I, and I also really don't want to give up Drai at this point as his play style will be very beneficial to this team in the western conference. The only way I want to see them move Nuge over Eberle or Yak (would love to keep them both, but theres just no room for both if we keep Nuge and Drai) is if a real #1 D is coming back (i.e. top 20 in the league), which I doubt we see happening at this points. Therefore I think its better to move one of Eberle or Yak with whatever +'s to acquire a #2/elite #3 (i.e. Hamonic) as unless we're getting a true #1 D back, its more valuable to keep the 3 centres with one playing wing, especially when you consider that McDavid, Drai, and Nuge are all great 2-way players making them more valuable than keeping both Yak and Eberle.

I also think adding another good top 4 D will help Nurse and Klefbom continue to develop, and I really could see those 2 both becoming top pairing D.
 

Fourier

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Dec 29, 2006
25,440
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Waterloo Ontario
Regarding the comments about keeping RNH long term in spite of Draisaitl's development, I think posters have to realize that you can't have a third line center earning 6 million/year in the cap world. Sure, it may be feasible for the next year or two while Connor and Leon are on their entry level contracts, but beyond that RNH will likely be the odd man out. He is our most valuable, potentially expendable asset. If you can get a true top pairing D for RNH, you make that deal all day long (and I'm not talking about a d-man like Hamonic)

I doubt there are many who don't understand this is a potential issue but it also assumes that all three need to be playing center. As I have pointed out SJ had a top six that often included Thornton, Pavelski, Marleau, Hertl, Couture and Burns. That is a group with 5 potential centers and one converted defenseman. Who was the coach under that scenario? And aside from Hertl the cheapest contract in that mix was Burns at $5.76M.

If you trade Nuge and one of Drasiatl or McDavid gets hurt you could paralyse one of your lines. But with all three you give yourself lots of flexibility to vary line combinations, to fill in for injuries and even to go with three scoring lines if you choose.
 

K1984

Registered User
Feb 7, 2008
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I doubt there are many who don't understand this is a potential issue but it also assumes that all three need to be playing center. As I have pointed out SJ had a top six that often included Thornton, Pavelski, Marleau, Hertl, Couture and Burns. That is a group with 5 potential centers and one converted defenseman. Who was the coach under that scenario? And aside from Hertl the cheapest contract in that mix was Burns at $5.76M.

If you trade Nuge and one of Drasiatl or McDavid gets hurt you could paralyse one of your lines. But with all three you give yourself lots of flexibility to vary line combinations, to fill in for injuries and even to go with three scoring lines if you choose.

I think that if Nuge does get traded it is absolutely imperative that Chia find a good 3rd line centre. I think that this is a pretty big weakness on our team right now, and a big reason why we have no scoring in the bottom 6.
 

Aceboogie

Registered User
Aug 25, 2012
32,649
3,896
Ya'll know me still the same LD
But I been low key
Hated on by most these fans
With no Hall, no Nuge and no Eberles's, no Yak citys and no mcdaveys
No Faynes, no No Klefboms and no Schultzys
Mad at me cause
I can finally afford to lead the league in pint per game
Got a arena and its full of banners
 

McDeathbyCheerios*

Guest
When they sent him down, they straight up said they plan on him being an Oiler for a very long time. Imo he is here long term, going no where.
 

TheRebuild

Bold as Boognish
Jun 12, 2014
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Winter
Regarding the comments about keeping RNH long term in spite of Draisaitl's development, I think posters have to realize that you can't have a third line center earning 6 million/year in the cap world. Sure, it may be feasible for the next year or two while Connor and Leon are on their entry level contracts, but beyond that RNH will likely be the odd man out. He is our most valuable, potentially expendable asset. If you can get a true top pairing D for RNH, you make that deal all day long (and I'm not talking about a d-man like Hamonic)

Makes sense to me. Also, you can't have a third line center who can't win faceoffs. And the Nuge... as much as I like the way he plays, couldn't win a faceoff to save his life. I'll give him that he's managed to show some modest improvement in that area over the last 5 years, but he has completely hit a plateau. He should get in touch with Adam Oates, maybe get a few pointers.
 

McDeathbyCheerios*

Guest
Makes sense to me. Also, you can't have a third line center who can't win faceoffs. And the Nuge... as much as I like the way he plays, couldn't win a faceoff to save his life. I'll give him that he's managed to show some modest improvement in that area over the last 5 years, but he has completely hit a plateau. He should get in touch with Adam Oates, maybe get a few pointers.
If Nuge stays he would be a top 6 winger long term. Drai is better suited at center even if it's just that he is much better at faceoffs.
 

Dallas

Registered User
Mar 20, 2002
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Trading Eberle or Yakupov for second pairing defensemen isn't what this team needs. We all agree that Nuge is more valuable to the Oilers than Ebs or Yak, so of course it's not easy to let him go, but if Chia wants a true top pairing D-man, I think Nuge has to be on the table. Keeping Hopkins to play on the wing, while trading Eberle for a second pairing guy continues the cycle of defensive futility. Now, if Chia can somehow turn Eberle/Yakupov into a top pairing D, then I'm all for it.
 

McDeathbyCheerios*

Guest
Trading Eberle or Yakupov for second pairing defensemen isn't what this team needs. We all agree that Nuge is more valuable to the Oilers than Ebs or Yak, so of course it's not easy to let him go, but if Chia wants a true top pairing D-man, I think Nuge has to be on the table. Keeping Hopkins to play on the wing, while trading Eberle for a second pairing guy continues the cycle of defensive futility. Now, if Chia can somehow turn Eberle/Yakupov into a top pairing D, then I'm all for it.
Teams. Don't. Move. Top. Pairing. Dmen easily at all. Only reason a guy like Hamonic is moving is cause of family reasons.
 

USC Trojans

༼ つ ◕_◕ ༽つ
May 17, 2002
13,024
8
LA Oiler fan
Ya'll know me still the same LD
But I been low key
Hated on by most these fans
With no Hall, no Nuge and no Eberles's, no Yak citys and no mcdaveys
No Faynes, no No Klefboms and no Schultzys
Mad at me cause
I can finally afford to lead the league in pint per game
Got a arena and its full of banners

Nowadays everybody wanna talk like they got something to say
But nothing comes out when they move their lips
Just a bunch of gibberish
And Calgary fans act like they forgot about Drai
 

Oiler11

Registered User
Oct 6, 2006
149
7
Teams. Don't. Move. Top. Pairing. Dmen easily at all. Only reason a guy like Hamonic is moving is cause of family reasons.

Eastern. Top. Pairing. Dman.

Hamilton was a top-2 in Beantown. Fayne was a top-4 in NJ. Hamonic isn't a slam-dunk top-2 in the West, IMO.
 
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