Leon Draisaitl should be sent back to juniors

[Lock]

What, the success of piloting Team Germany to a 6th place finish and getting pounded on every night by the powers of the tourney?

He's already played in the WJHC twice, I could maybe buy into an argument of him going back to the WHL for the rest of the year but IMO there's no tangible gain for him to be lent to the WJHC.

As opposed to playing for the Oilers? Its basically the same thing.

Germany likely has an opportunity to win at least 1 game, maybe even 2 thereby doubling and potentially even tripling Leon's 'wins in the month' stats.

 

[Up the Irons]

yup, get this guy to regain his scoring confidence and get him to a legit Memorial Cup contender like Kelowna

I'd love to see how he plays in the playoffs, where the checking gets tighter

Makes too much sense, ergo, never gonna happen.

The Oilers always choose the unconventional approach.

$20 says he's here all year.

 

[Digger12]

As opposed to playing for the Oilers? Its basically the same thing.

Germany likely has an opportunity to win at least 1 game, maybe even 2 thereby doubling and potentially even tripling Leon's 'wins in the month' stats.

I might be more on board with your line of thinking if he hadn't already been to the WJHC twice. I really think fans overrate how much of a development tool the WJHC is, there's plenty of young guys who starred in that tourney who went on to do jack at the NHL level.

Send him to Kelowna? OK, sure. THAT I could get behind.

 

[Lock]

I might be more on board with your line of thinking if he hadn't already been to the WJHC twice. I really think fans overrate how much of a development tool the WJHC is, there's plenty of young guys who starred in that tourney who went on to do jack at the NHL level.

Send him to Kelowna? OK, sure. THAT I could get behind.

Fair enough, and I can understand that.

I just feel that at this point there is value to being anywhere other than the Edmonton Oilers. Its hockey hell.

 

[dustrock]

Man, Drai going to Kelowna might be the best possible scenario I can imagine.

He's going to a great team, Morrissey is already there, and they've got a good shot at going to the Memorial Cup.

I'd be doing this yesterday.

 

[Skinnyjimmy08]

may as well just give Kelowna the WHL title now if that happens..

Perfect scenario for everyone if that happens

 

[Fixed to Ruin]

Oilers propaganda evolution

Draisaitl is a lock to play in the NHL
Draisaitl is slowly improving as he plays games in the NHL
Draisaitl isn't going back to the WHL
Draisaitl isn't going back to Prince Albert
Draisaitl development is best served in Kelowna
Draisaitl will gain valuable experience playing in the Memorial Cup (even though it's not a given...yet)

 

[Skinnyjimmy08]

I wouldn't doubt if Bruce Hamilton in Kelowna will get a deal done for his rights. Now weather or not Draisaitl actually gets sent back to WHL, who really knows... but Hamilton is a brilliant GM and if he acquires his rights, itll be because he is 99.9% sure he would be sent back. This story doesn't just come out of nowhere with Gregg Drinnan. He is a very reliable source

 

[joestevens29]

I like of PA is good enough for the Jets and Morrisey, but not good enough for the Oilers and LD.

Pretty ***** move for a club who owns a WHL to pull.

 

[Tyrolean]

I have a feeling he is going to be just an average NHL player in the future. Send him back to juniors. Should have been at the WJC.

 

[Sanderson]

I have a feeling he is going to be just an average NHL player in the future. Send him back to juniors. Should have been at the WJC.

Based on what exactly?

This year doesn't really say anything about his future at all. It could hurt him, it also could have no impact at all. Look at Joe Thornton, who had a very similar first season in the NHL, he turned out rather well.

He probably shouldn't have been in the NHL this year, but there is nothing about this year that can clarify what kind of career Draisaitl will have. Plenty of players with an excellent rookie-season crashed and burned quickly afterwards, plenty of players who had a hard time as a rookie or took ages to make the NHL ended up with an amazing NHL-career.

Fellow German Dirk Nowitzki had a very tough time in his first season in the NBA, showing little of what was supposed to be his strength, yet look at how that turned out, now he is the most successful NBA-player born outside the US in the history of the league. There are plenty examples of a player showing little of what he is actually capable of. Some never reach that level, others will reach it regardless of whether some career-decisions were less than ideal.

 

[Soundwave]

I'm telling you, Marc Crawford would be a godsend for Draisaitl's development. IMO he is worth hiring for that alone.

He developed both Kopitar and the Sedins in their formative early years and when he left both were 70+ point players.

 

[Gone]

I have a feeling he is going to be just an average NHL player in the future. Send him back to juniors. Should have been at the WJC.

I agree, but this hangs on his ability to increase his foot speed. If he fails to do so, then he will simply stay the player he is today. If he can improve his foot speed dramatically, I see him as a top notch second line center.

The most likely outcome is somewhere in the middle, which means "an average NHL player".

 

[Broilers]

I have a feeling he is going to be just an average NHL player in the future. Send him back to juniors. Should have been at the WJC.

He is not top end talent. Anyway he is beyond average hockey player. I think he will be elite 3rd line center. Hopefully we can land McEichel. Center ice would be set for years to come

January 4th and Draisalt in juniors?

 

[MrM]

I have a feeling he is going to be just an average NHL player in the future. Send him back to juniors. Should have been at the WJC.

We passed over Sam Bennett for him. We haven't really seen him in the NHL yet but what do see his career?

I really wanted them to draft Bennett and there would be no argument for keeping him up this season, he clearly needed time, he's almost a year younger than Leon and needs to put on the weight. Loved his comparison to Doug Gilmour.

 

[oilers9799]

Everyone keeps bringing up Joe Thornton. Leon will not amount to anything more than an elite 3rd line center. He should be traded before his value goes into the tank.

 

[harpoon]

I'm telling you, Marc Crawford would be a godsend for Draisaitl's development. IMO he is worth hiring for that alone.

He developed both Kopitar and the Sedins in their formative early years and when he left both were 70+ point players.

Wow you are beating that Crawford drum pretty hard aren't you.
Did Crawford teach the Sedins to cycle like demons, cause we could sure use a little of that skill on our team.

Fellow German Dirk Nowitzki had a very tough time in his first season in the NBA, showing little of what was supposed to be his strength, yet look at how that turned out, now he is the most successful NBA-player born outside the US in the history of the league.

I couldn't believe that was true - which just goes to show how little I've followed the NBA since the nineties.
So I looked it up and found this list. Its a little old, but I thought it was interesting. Unreal to see Nowitzki has passed The Dream.
Loved Vlade Divac and Toni Kukoc back in the day, and somehow I never knew Fox was Canadian - his inclusion on this list I think proving that he was criminally underrated as a player. Anyway, not sure that Nowitzki's success proves anything about Draisaitl, but thanks for teaching me something about the NBA today.

http://www.interbasket.net/news/2046/2009/10/top-30-international-nba-scorers-of-all-time/

 

[fuswald]

Everyone keeps bringing up Joe Thornton. Leon will not amount to anything more than an elite 3rd line center. He should be traded before his value goes into the tank.

Elite 3rd line centre? That's funny. So a good second line centre then. Poor 1st line centre.

Elite and 3rd line don't seem to go together.

 

[oilers9799]

Elite 3rd line centre? That's funny. So a good second line centre then. Poor 1st line centre.

Elite and 3rd line don't seem to go together.

I actually don't even think he's going to be an elite third line center. I just said that to make the posters here feel good about Leon. He is not fast enough to be a solid NHLer and I think the time to trade him is now.

 

[lampshade*]

I actually don't even think he's going to be an elite third line center. I just said that to make the posters here feel good about Leon. He is not fast enough to be a solid NHLer and I think the time to trade him is now.

I see Leon maturing into a combo of Toews and Getzlaf. The leadership and the mental toughness of Toews and the playing style of Getzlaf. Im glad he didnt go to wrld jnr, although i suspect he would be among top 3 in scoring. 3yrs from now he will be a 30g/60a player. I'm pumped just thinking about his future.

 

[SDig14]

I actually don't even think he's going to be an elite third line center. I just said that to make the posters here feel good about Leon. He is not fast enough to be a solid NHLer and I think the time to trade him is now.

If it's so clear to everyone that he won't even be a 3rd line player then what GM would trade for him? I feel your logic is slightly or extremely flawed.

 

[JoeCool16]

I see Leon maturing into a combo of Toews and Getzlaf. The leadership and the mental toughness of Toews and the playing style of Getzlaf. Im glad he didnt go to wrld jnr, although i suspect he would be among top 3 in scoring. 3yrs from now he will be a 30g/60a player. I'm pumped just thinking about his future.

22 and scoring 90 points a season? You should look around the league at who scores 90+ points a season. Last year, Sidney Crosby was the only one to do it. Getzlaf probably would have if he played the full season. Only 13 players were even PPG. Soooo yeah.

 

[oilers9799]

If it's so clear to everyone that he won't even be a 3rd line player then what GM would trade for him? I feel your logic is slightly or extremely flawed.

Not sure where I said it's clear to everyone...
I meant trade him while he still has perceived value around the league as a rookie after being drafted 3rd overall. I'm not sure how that could be misinterpreted.

 

[Broilers]

Everyone keeps bringing up Joe Thornton. Leon will not amount to anything more than an elite 3rd line center. He should be traded before his value goes into the tank.

Are you serious. Elite 3rd line center is also a good 2nd line center. We will not get good return today. Let's keep him. Our top3 centers can look like

McEichel, RNH, Draisalt

If McEichel or RNH are injured Draisalt can be inserted to the 2nd line.

 

[CantHaveTkachev]

Aaron Ekblad 5G 14A 19PTS +8

I remember Bob Stauffer spouting off about how if the Oilers won the lottery and chose #1 that, in his mind, Drasaitl would be a strong consideration at that spot

imagine passing up on this stud? no wonder our whole management is a complete disaster