Player Discussion Leon Draisaitl '18-19 Season

[Drivesaitl]

From this pre-season I'm surprised there's not more buzz around him and his speed. Very tenacious on the puck and a big breakaway threat, I like him a lot and with that he's pretty responsible defensively too.

For some reason people here don't seem to approach ex oilers with very open minds. Theres been a striking lack of buzz here regarding either of the Brodziak or Rieder signings. Even ironically Upshall got more buzz here than Brodziak which is just ridiculous. Apparently we don't like our own. I can't really figure it. Its like if people recall a player being here previously, and drafted by the org, they just assume the player is useless.

I've been pretty much the only one even noticing or commenting on Brodziaks good play. I think a large amount of the fan base figure good complementary players are just boring or something. Rieder is even good enough that he helps to make good players better.

 

[Del Preston]

"I've always been a slow starter in preseason," said Draisaitl after the on-ice session on Friday. "It's always been like this for me. It's always taken me longer than most guys. I'm not very happy with how I've been playing but I know I still have a few games.

"I'm very confident I'll be at the top of my game when the season starts (on Oct. 6)."

"Game management is a big thing for him," said Head Coach Todd McLellan. "The offense is going to come. He'll continue to create for himself and his linemates, so I'm not too concerned.

"He hasn't scored a bunch of goals or anything and that's okay. It's not about that. It's about getting his legs underneath him, making plays and feeling good on the ice."

BLOG: Draisaitl acknowledges slow start

 

[Senor Catface]

He's just too nice to say "I'M PLAYING WITH LUCIC"

 

[Porkleaker]

For some reason people here don't seem to approach ex oilers with very open minds. Theres been a striking lack of buzz here regarding either of the Brodziak or Rieder signings. Even ironically Upshall got more buzz here than Brodziak which is just ridiculous. Apparently we don't like our own. I can't really figure it. Its like if people recall a player being here previously, and drafted by the org, they just assume the player is useless.

I've been pretty much the only one even noticing or commenting on Brodziaks good play. I think a large amount of the fan base figure good complementary players are just boring or something. Rieder is even good enough that he helps to make good players better.

Yeah Brodziak is the other one, and he's been solid. I mean, I remember when he was last around but he's done a lot to improve his game since we last saw him. It might be because we're forever haunted with other ex-oilers, the likes of Lowe, McTavish and Gretzky getting perpetually drunk in the stands.

 

[MaxR11]

He's just too nice to say "I'M PLAYING WITH LUCIC"

Ya it's not a good fit between the two. Looch has been bad and is trying to garner back some confidence but it's hard to do that at times playing with Drai. Drai seems like one to easily get down on himself and his linemates when things don't go well. I sense tension between the two still from "the past". Drai seems to only play well consistently with Connor. It seems like any other player inferior to his skill he sees as weighing him down or something and it doesn't instill confidence in those players and they start to play worse. My guess is Drai needs to be more positive and less pessimistic and more supporting of his linemates. More positive chatter on the bench. I get the sense when things don't go well Drai just goes to the bench, slumped shoulders and is real quiet.

 

[Drivesaitl]

Ya it's not a good fit between the two. Looch has been bad and is trying to garner back some confidence but it's hard to do that at times playing with Drai. Drai seems like one to easily get down on himself and his linemates when things don't go well. I sense tension between the two still from "the past". Drai seems to only play well consistently with Connor. It seems like any other player inferior to his skill he sees as weighing him down or something and it doesn't instill confidence in those players and they start to play worse. My guess is Drai needs to be more positive and less pessimistic and more supporting of his linemates. More positive chatter on the bench. I get the sense when things don't go well Drai just goes to the bench, slumped shoulders and is real quiet.

But is he worse than Taylor Hall..

 

[nabob]

But is he worse than Taylor Hall..

The Hart trophy winner who single handedly carried the Devils to the playoffs?

 

[Supermassive]

The Hart trophy winner who single handedly carried the Devils to the playoffs?

Guys, guys...if we could please stop talking about the league MVP and focus on Draisaitl's need to be a better cheerleader? Don't need any threadbans here.

Actually, to stay off-track, I agree with Brodziak looking great. Picking up USEFUL vets is so much better than picking up cold leftovers (and signing them to multi-year deals, no less). Hopefully the fans will allow McDavid and Draisaitl to just do their thing, and not trash them if/when the supporting cast craps the bed again this year. Honestly, I'm just hoping the supporting cast bounces back and we can avoid the venom on this board.

 

[Drivesaitl]

The Hart trophy winner who single handedly carried the Devils to the playoffs?

You must be sarcasm challenged. the person I'm responding to intensely dislikes Taylor Hall. I was jk around.

 

[Supermassive]

You must be sarcasm challenged. the person I'm responding to intensely dislikes Taylor Hall. I was jk around.

There are no people who dislike Taylor Hall, only those who know that he never ever ever would have put up a Pt/GP+ season here like he did in Jersey like he already did here, because he needed to grow up and puberty is actually triggered through trades so he still would have sucked here or something.

But Draisaitl is being too grumpy and not much of a team player so I for one look forward to HK97's informed posts about how Draisaitl can't lead the second line into the playoffs and that's why we traded him for Bobby Ryan and $15M of Eugene Melnyk's personal debt.

 

[Aerchon]

For some reason people here don't seem to approach ex oilers with very open minds. Theres been a striking lack of buzz here regarding either of the Brodziak or Rieder signings. Even ironically Upshall got more buzz here than Brodziak which is just ridiculous. Apparently we don't like our own. I can't really figure it. Its like if people recall a player being here previously, and drafted by the org, they just assume the player is useless.

I've been pretty much the only one even noticing or commenting on Brodziaks good play. I think a large amount of the fan base figure good complementary players are just boring or something. Rieder is even good enough that he helps to make good players better.

Broziack and Reider have both been quietly good. Both were great signings. The anti-chiarelli crowd really doesn't like to talk much about anything even remotely positive.

 

[Bryanbryoil]

Like it or not, fair or not Lucic is his cross to bear. Drai needs to get the most out of him and whoever the RW is on that line. I also don't think that we should need to acquire a RW for him, we have Rattie, Jesse and Yamo all looking like reasonable options going forward and other possibilities like Marody, Maksimov, etc. This is the problem with players getting paid big, if they don't live up to their deals in the public eye they are turned on in a hurry (great humanitarian gesture aside). If we are all being honest, the best 2nd line that we could ice is likely Khaira-Draisiatl-Puljujarvi. The problem with this is that Drai and Lucic have taken such big bites out of the salary cap pie that we cannot just say "here Leon, take on these 2 promising RFA's to be and try to tear the league a new one". We can't afford to pay Khaira $4 million next season and Jesse $6 million because Drai is struggling to carry the leftovers. Drai gets to carry Lucic as we try to boost his confidence and/or trade value and a young player or top 6 unproven Rieder for this season, if Jesse is signed long term this offseason I'd fully expect him to be with Connor or Drai next season from the word go. Until then, it's tough sledding for you Drai, you've got get the young Yamo or the damaged Looch going.

 

[nabob]

You must be sarcasm challenged. the person I'm responding to intensely dislikes Taylor Hall. I was jk around.

Hard to tell when you’re being serious around here. You’d slag anyone in an attempt to bolster your boy.

 

[oobga]

There are no people who dislike Taylor Hall, only those who know that he never ever ever would have put up a Pt/GP+ season here like he did in Jersey like he already did here, because he needed to grow up and puberty is actually triggered through trades so he still would have sucked here or something.

But Draisaitl is being too grumpy and not much of a team player so I for one look forward to HK97's informed posts about how Draisaitl can't lead the second line into the playoffs and that's why we traded him for Bobby Ryan and $15M of Eugene Melnyk's personal debt.

OMG, Chia took on 15M of debt too? Ah well, at least it wasn't just 1 for 1.

 

[Supermassive]

OMG, Chia took on 15M of debt too? Ah well, at least it wasn't just 1 for 1.

It's good debt, to build up Katz's credit score. Andrew Ference said so.

 

[Spawn]

Like it or not, fair or not Lucic is his cross to bear. Drai needs to get the most out of him and whoever the RW is on that line. I also don't think that we should need to acquire a RW for him, we have Rattie, Jesse and Yamo all looking like reasonable options going forward and other possibilities like Marody, Maksimov, etc. This is the problem with players getting paid big, if they don't live up to their deals in the public eye they are turned on in a hurry (great humanitarian gesture aside). If we are all being honest, the best 2nd line that we could ice is likely Khaira-Draisiatl-Puljujarvi. The problem with this is that Drai and Lucic have taken such big bites out of the salary cap pie that we cannot just say "here Leon, take on these 2 promising RFA's to be and try to tear the league a new one". We can't afford to pay Khaira $4 million next season and Jesse $6 million because Drai is struggling to carry the leftovers. Drai gets to carry Lucic as we try to boost his confidence and/or trade value and a young player or top 6 unproven Rieder for this season, if Jesse is signed long term this offseason I'd fully expect him to be with Connor or Drai next season from the word go. Until then, it's tough sledding for you Drai, you've got get the young Yamo or the damaged Looch going.

You can't turn shit to gold.

The only person who is going to get Lucic going is Lucic and/or a time machine. Connor McDavid couldn't get him going last season either. Draisaitl isn't going to be able to. You can say "well you're making 8.5M so you better" all you want. That doesn't make it possible. And in the meantime we're going to sewer our 2nd line because we're too stubborn to recognize that Lucic is a cancer on this roster.

 

[MessierII]

You can't turn **** to gold.

The only person who is going to get Lucic going is Lucic and/or a time machine. Connor McDavid couldn't get him going last season either. Draisaitl isn't going to be able to. You can say "well you're making 8.5M so you better" all you want. That doesn't make it possible. And in the meantime we're going to sewer our 2nd line because we're too stubborn to recognize that Lucic is a cancer on this roster.

47 bad games and the guy is a cancer. Extreme take.

 

[Spawn]

47 bad games and the guy is a cancer. Extreme take.

Lucic has been bad for 2 years. I know you're a fan of his, but the dude has been a terrible Oiler.

 

[Canada Drai]

Drai could very well be the next Kelly Clarkson and by Kelly I mean David.

EDIT: I could also mean Kelly because she fell off of a cliff.

 

[Bryanbryoil]

You can't turn **** to gold.

The only person who is going to get Lucic going is Lucic and/or a time machine. Connor McDavid couldn't get him going last season either. Draisaitl isn't going to be able to. You can say "well you're making 8.5M so you better" all you want. That doesn't make it possible. And in the meantime we're going to sewer our 2nd line because we're too stubborn to recognize that Lucic is a cancer on this roster.

I think that they will give him a good 20 games or so before writing him off as a lost cause if he doesn't produce. At some point if his play continues to be in the dumps you either sit him or play him on the 4th line. In the meantime Drai needs to borrow Connor's cape for a bit.

 

[MessierII]

Lucic has been bad for 2 years. I know you're a fan of his, but the dude has been a terrible Oiler.

No he hasn’t. 23 goals and 50 points is not bad. 25 points in the first 37 games last year is also not bad. He had a stretch of 47 games where he couldn’t bury the puck to save his life in an otherwise relatively consistent career. I guarantee he gets between 45-55 points this year as he has through most of his career.

 

[McDynasty]

I think that they will give him a good 20 games or so before writing him off as a lost cause if he doesn't produce. At some point if his play continues to be in the dumps you either sit him or play him on the 4th line. In the meantime Drai needs to borrow Connor's cape for a bit.

I do hope they don't have to do that thing where they put Drai on Connor's line to get his mojo back again. Just messes up chemistry of the other lines. That 2nd line role is Drai's, he needs to own it and run with it.

 

[ThePhoenixx]

He's just too nice to say "I'M PLAYING WITH LUCIC"

Lucic has two points in three games.

 

[The Moose]

Drai is such a frustrating player, dominating in one game, disappearing in the next two. But if he's good again for 70ish points, while not playing with McDavid, then I guess that's ok. I suspect that's his ceiling as a 2nd line C and it would be unrealistic to expect more from him.

 

[GameChanger]

No he hasn’t. 23 goals and 50 points is not bad. 25 points in the first 37 games last year is also not bad. He had a stretch of 47 games where he couldn’t bury the puck to save his life in an otherwise relatively consistent career. I guarantee he gets between 45-55 points this year as he has through most of his career.

I know this is OT so I'll write just this one message about Lucic here, but it's good to note that even two seasons ago his even strength stats were modest considering how much he played and who he played with.

11+14 (-3) in 82 games during a season where the team did well and where he played practically the whole season with McDavid, Nuge or Drai doesn't sound like much to me. So even if he plays better this season I don't know if it's realistic to expect much during the even strength minutes.