Player Discussion Leon Draisaitl | 19-20 Art Ross, Ted Lindsay & Hart Trophy Winner | Congrats on 500 Career Points!

Behind Enemy Lines

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Feb 19, 2003
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There's no concussion. That is a for-sure. Zero chance the organization or player try to slide that through. He might be banged up abit - he certainly is taking a pounding physically and has been playing fearlessly in all of the tough areas of the ice. But personally, I think it just seems like a bit of a 'rough spot' if you can call it that for someone whose production is still among league elites.

I haven't been enamoured by Draisaitl's line mates, both game, but smaller players. Kahun has been largely ineffective. Shows flashes but isn't getting enough done. Yamamoto is an excellent fearless ball of hate who leaves it all on the ice. Both have low shot counts and I think haven't necessarily been effective in getting high percentage kill zone shots for Draisaitl. I think Draisaitl could use a volume shooter on his wing both to finish more of his great passing and quite likely create more open ice for Draisaitl himself to get more high percentage shots.

Nugent Hopkins has proven to play with both elites and his shooting more as a top winger. Puljujarvi is emerging a power forward with volume shooter tendency. At some point maybe if this team hits a rough patch maybe the wingers get swapped up a bit to help Draisaitl.
 
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Bryanbryoil

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Sep 13, 2004
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I think when Tippett does the whole "playing McDavid and Draisaitl for the last 4-5 minutes of a game thing" ... that doesn't seem to phase McDavid, but Leon is a normal human being and that stuff seems to catch up to him.

I've noticed this for a couple of years, any time Tippett or a previous coach pushes Leon to the "ridiculous McDavid minutes", like a normal human being it catches up to him and there follows a period of some what lethargic play until he inevitably recharges his batteries and goes back to being regular Leon.

I think you have to be careful with that, just because Connor is superhuman doesn't mean everyone else is.

Good point, he is a tremendous athlete but he plays a big mans game and that wears a lot on a person when you are shielding the puck and moving bodies out there.
 

Tobias Kahun

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Oct 3, 2017
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I think when Tippett does the whole "playing McDavid and Draisaitl for the last 4-5 minutes of a game thing" ... that doesn't seem to phase McDavid, but Leon is a normal human being and that stuff seems to catch up to him.

I've noticed this for a couple of years, any time Tippett or a previous coach pushes Leon to the "ridiculous McDavid minutes", like a normal human being it catches up to him and there follows a period of some what lethargic play until he inevitably recharges his batteries and goes back to being regular Leon.

I think you have to be careful with that, just because Connor is superhuman doesn't mean everyone else is.
Even in games where McDavid is having his minuted pulled back, it seems Draisaitl is still playing his normal minutes.
 

McFlyingV

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Feb 22, 2013
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I wouldn't worry much about Draisaitl's cold stretch here. He's had one of these just about every season he's been in the league aside from last year, and every year there's a lot of panic and criticism only to see him heat up and tear the league apart down the stretch. The biggest thing right now is he's not shooting enough and overpassing it, and when he does shoot he just hasn't been as automatic as the past two seasons. Sooner or later every one-timer he takes is going to start going in again and he'll start shooting more as he's reminded that he's one of the best goal scorers in the world.

We haven't needed him to be exceptional up to this point due to McDavid tearing the league apart and getting solid depth scoring from the bottom 6 and defence. I think people often forget that most superstars or 1st line players have cold streaks throughout the year, and we see it every year with Nuge before he inevitably heats up. I think we're just so spoiled using McDavid as a measuring stick because even when he goes cold he's still playing like an elite player. He really is the only player in the league who never truly goes cold.
 

The Moose is Loose

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Jun 28, 2017
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Compare Player A, Player B, Player C, Player D

I think Oiler fans should check out this poll I made on the mainboards before the season started that anonymously compared Barkov/Draisaitl/Mackinnon/Matthews

When people didn't know who they were voting for Draisaitl won pretty handily whereas he is currently losing in the Draisaitl vs Mackinnon poll. As much as I love Mackinnon his reputation seems to be the only thing holding him up in comparisons against Draisaitl, because all the numbers point towards Draisaitl being the 2nd best player in the league.

Also I called Draisaitl below average defensively (which was fair at the time) but he has come out on a mission this year, to play stellar defense first. Its incredible his offense is nearly the same as it was last year considering this additional attention to the defensive side of the puck as well as getting weaker linemates than he has ever had before.
 
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OfCorsiDid

Ah shit, here we go again
Mar 20, 2017
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Interesting stat. Draisaitl is 10 points away from passing Marco Sturm as the all-time NHL leader for German players, at the age of 25.

Dude is on an HHOF track.

Imagine what that will do for the sport in Germany, let alone the rest of central Europe.

The NHL should be promoting the shit out of him in central Europe.
 

Aceboogie

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Aug 25, 2012
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Of the best goal scorers of the 2000s, it is Ovechkin clear #1. But Draisaitl is pretty much #2, tied with a prime Stamkos. Over a 190+ game sample for both (2009-2011 for Prime Stamkos, last 190 games for Draisaitl), they both have the same amount of goals in the same amount of games

Those are the top 3 in terms of goal scoring proudction. Which is crazy, as LD is probably more well known as a playmaker
 

space321

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May 11, 2011
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Of the best goal scorers of the 2000s, it is Ovechkin clear #1. But Draisaitl is pretty much #2, tied with a prime Stamkos. Over a 190+ game sample for both (2009-2011 for Prime Stamkos, last 190 games for Draisaitl), they both have the same amount of goals in the same amount of games

Those are the top 3 in terms of goal scoring proudction. Which is crazy, as LD is probably more well known as a playmaker

Pretty sure Marian Gaborik was the 2nd best goal scorer for a few years after the lockout (06-10). Second only to Ovechkin.
 

Bure80

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Jun 27, 2011
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Dude is on an HHOF track.

Imagine what that will do for the sport in Germany, let alone the rest of central Europe.

The NHL should be promoting the shit out of him in central Europe.

There is one problem. Oilers games start in the middle of the night in Germany.
To make the sport bigger kids have to watch Draisaitl. So they can choose to play hockey.
The NHL could change starting times for the Oilers. Or they could play many early weekend games.
But even then the games have to be broadcasted in Germany. I dont think Canadian fans will be happy if game starts 12 pm too.
 

OfCorsiDid

Ah shit, here we go again
Mar 20, 2017
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Toronto, ON
There is one problem. Oilers games start in the middle of the night in Germany.
To make the sport bigger kids have to watch Draisaitl. So they can choose to play hockey.
The NHL could change starting times for the Oilers. Or they could play many early weekend games.
But even then the games have to be broadcasted in Germany. I dont think Canadian fans will be happy if game starts 12 pm too.

In typical seasons, the Oilers would usually play 5 or 6 afternoon matinee games with starting times between 12 pm and 3 pm Eastern.

They’re usually on Saturdays too.

But otherwise you’re right. As much as the NHL would love to grow the game in Europe they still have to satiate their fanbases in NA. This is why the NFL has a distinct advantage over the NHL when it comes to creating popularity in Europe.
 

Bryanbryoil

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Sep 13, 2004
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One question that I have to ask is how did he keep getting open on Connor's 100th point? What was that, like the 3rd or 4th one timer on that PP that he got off? Between Connor opening up passing lanes and Drai getting into open passing lanes and getting his shot off in a hurry, what a combo!
 

Pass the Saitl Sauce

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Apr 30, 2015
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One question that I have to ask is how did he keep getting open on Connor's 100th point? What was that, like the 3rd or 4th one timer on that PP that he got off? Between Connor opening up passing lanes and Drai getting into open passing lanes and getting his shot off in a hurry, what a combo!
It was a 5 on 3 wasn’t it?
 
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Mr Positive

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Nov 20, 2013
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Maybe they could saw the puck in half so they both get the milestone puck, haha. Would be an interesting story to say if people ask.
 

tinfish

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Jul 6, 2011
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Came in 8th place in Hart votes.

rkuxl6itma871.jpg
 

Stoneman89

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Feb 8, 2008
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Psst. You can share your love for Leon here than making a new thread.
Was thinking the same thing. A dedicated thread honoring Leon just waiting for him to post his accolades, and he has to start his own thread to "get back" at people he thinks "wronged him."
 

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