Leon Draisaitl has never been this close to the title! Last season, his <a href="http://www.archysport.com/2022/01/leon-draisaitl-on-the-nhl-all-star-team-for-the-third-time/" title="Leon Draisaitl on the NHL All-Star Team for the third time”>Edmonton Oilers were just one win short of the championship in the Stanley Cup final series against the Florida Panthers. But there they lost 1:2 – the series was ultimately lost 3:4. “That was a punch in the stomach,” says Draisaitl. “I needed time to process it.” Nevertheless, after a short vacation, he quickly got back into preparation and met with his training group in Toronto.
Now Draisaitl is starting his eleventh attack on the most important trophy in the ice hockey world in the NHL professional league, which starts on Friday. The fanatical Oilers fans have been waiting for the Stanley Cup since 1990. “We are building something really special here and hopefully we can now take the next step,” says the striker, who scored 41 goals and provided 65 assists last season.
Draisaitl signed a record contract
The positive trend in recent years convinced Draisaitl to stay in Edmonton. He signed an NHL record contract with the Oilers: over 100 million euros for eight years. “Hopefully I’ll be an Oiler for the rest of my career,” Draisaitl said. “The contract of course gives me planning security and is certainly confirmation of the services I have provided in recent years. But it is also an expectation from the club about what I will achieve in the coming years.”
Next summer, his teammate Connor McDavid will probably sign an even higher contract: 115 million euros for eight years is possible.
A problem that arises from the duo and will become even greater in the coming years: There is not much space left under the salary cap of 79 million euros for many other stars. Edmonton is in the cap trap. “We know that you can’t win with two, three or four-man squads,” says Draisaitl. “That’s not possible in this league.”
For the current season, the club strengthened the squad with older players who were once at star level but have now passed their peak. “The salary math is just like that,” says general manager Stan Bowman. “So you have to bring cheap players into the team every year and develop talent. We want to win and will do everything we can to achieve that.”
Right winger Viktor Arvidsson still had 59 points scorer for Los Angeles in 2022/23; last season he was injured a lot and had 15 points in 18 games. If he stays healthy for once, he will be a reinforcement. “He is known for his disciplined and tough two-way game (in attack and defense; d. Red.),” says Draisaitl. “It’s very unpleasant to play against him. So I’m glad he’s with us now.”
Left winger Jeff Skinner had a strong 82 points in Buffalo two years ago, but only 46 in 2023/24. Now 60 points are required of him. “Jeff is more of a dangerous, offensive winger,” says Draisaitl. “He scored 20, 30, sometimes 40 goals practically every season.”
The old people have to fix it
One risk remains: Of the top 12 Oilers forwards, only three are under 30. In defense, three out of six are. When it comes to the average age of the core lineup, only Edmonton and the Pittsburgh Penguins are expected to be over 30 years old. Injuries and loss of performance are always possible. The team takes full risks for the title!
Are the Oilers in now-or-never mode? Draisaitl says: “I don’t know whether it’s necessarily ‘now or never’. But of course, with the development of the team, we have reached a point where we want to play for the title. That’s the goal, clearly.”
Among betting providers, Edmonton is currently the favorite with 8:1 odds, followed by defending champion Florida (9:1), New Jersey and Dallas (10:1 each). Draisaitl: “If you lose the final, in the end no one will talk about Edmonton anymore. We want people to be all about us on the last day of the season.”
He has had an important ring since the summer: in July he proposed to his girlfriend Celeste in Mallorca. “It was a great day,” says Draisaitl. Many more such moments of happiness are to follow this season.
The text was designed for the sports competence center (WELT, SPORT PICTURE, BILD) written and first published in SPORT BILD.
