Leon Draisaitl is not having a good season, he's having a great season

[Romang67]

He's doing what he does every year and the same people keep saying it's because of someone else. Let me be clear it's not and he's been this damn good for awhile now. He's been in the top 5 players and as high as 2 for over 5 years for me. Guys a stud.

I disagree. In the three years before this, Draisaitl without McDavid hovered around 50% xGF%, and a decent but not great 52% GF% (compared to almost 60% xGF and GF with him). That sample is around 2500 minutes of 5v5 hockey.

This year he's at almost 57% xGF%. The Oilers are crushing teams when he's on the ice, with or without McDavid.

 

[notbias]

We always knew what he could do offensively, I didn’t not have Drai becoming an elite defensive player at 29 years old in my books. My guess is that he saw 7 games of Barkov up close and personal last June and something clicked. What a talent.

Edit- if someone has his offensive and defensive advanced stats this season, please post them. Legit playing some incredible two way hockey this season.

Went looking for stats assuming he would be terrible defensively like every year (especially playoffs), but he is really good defensively this year.

I like Edmonton's chances more if he can play like this all season and through the playoffs.

Good for him if he turns into a two-way C.

 

[Ghost of Murph]

Honestly didn't think Drai had much ceiling left. Apparently he hadn't peaked in terms of his two-way game. He is worth every penny of his upcoming $14M per.

 

[Czechboy]

replace McDavid with Bozak

I'd like to think we'd get more for McDavid than just Bozak in a trade. Those other players, cap space and picks included might help the team as well?

Or are we just replacing one of the best players in the game with Tyler Bozak? Eg. I don't think Makar would be as good if MacK was replaced with Bozak. I dont' think Matthews would be as good if we replaced Marner with Bozak too. In fact, I don't think a lot of players would be as good if we replaced the top player with Tyler Bozak. He was a nice player but never hit 50 points and never made more than 5 mill in a season. Why is he the guy we are replacing elite 1C's with big caphits with? If that is your argument.. than yes I agree. Replacing the best 1C's in the league directly for Tyler Bozak would make their teams worse.

I'm just not getting why any team would replace McDavid with Bozak?

 

[BLNY]

When's the last time he hasn't had a great season? 17-18?

 

[Sanderson]

I've often wondered what the mindset of players like Draisaitl is likes with regards to being the Gretzky of their nation.

Like, nobody in Germany even comes close to this guy. Most IIHF countries at the men's national level usually at least have a handful of elites at minimum (Czechs, Finnsor are otherwise nobodies but it probably sucks more being the only legit franchise-level elite talent

There certainly was nobody of that caliber before he came around (unless you count Erich Kühnhackl, who never really wanted to play NHL), but it isn't really true that no one comes close to him.

Tim Stützle has actually been tracking ahead of Draisaitl throughout their early careers, e.g. Stützle made it to 250 career points in 287 games while it took Draisaitl 305. He also should make it to 300 points before Draisaitl did. Afterwards it gets trickier, as this is around the time Draisaitl added another level.
Stützle does have a 90 point season at age 21 though, and he has also upped his offense again after he played with an injury for most of last season. He has also taken huge steps defensively. Even if he should fail to reach the heights Draisaitl has seen so far, he's still very much a franchise player in his own right, and does have the talent to grow even further.

The rest isn't quite at that level, but Seider is still a young high-end defenseman, and Peterka - even though he is in a slump right now - should be at the very least a 2nd line player, if not more, though obviously not franchise talent.


It's not that unusual for smaller nations to have a big star with little beyond that. Kopitar would be an obvious example, or Dirk Nowitzki in basketball.

 

[Czechboy]

There certainly was nobody of that caliber before he came around (unless you count Erich Kühnhackl, who never really wanted to play NHL), but it isn't really true that no one comes close to him.

Tim Stützle has actually been tracking ahead of Draisaitl throughout their early careers, e.g. Stützle made it to 250 career points in 287 games while it took Draisaitl 305. He also should make it to 300 points before Draisaitl did. Afterwards it gets trickier, as this is around the time Draisaitl added another level.
Stützle does have a 90 point season at age 21 though, and he has also upped his offense again after he played with an injury for most of last season. He has also taken huge steps defensively. Even if he should fail to reach the heights Draisaitl has seen so far, he's still very much a franchise player in his own right, and does have the talent to grow even further.

The rest isn't quite at that level, but Seider is still a young high-end defenseman, and Peterka - even though he is in a slump right now - should be at the very least a 2nd line player, if not more, though obviously not franchise talent.


It's not that unusual for smaller nations to have a big star with little beyond that. Kopitar would be an obvious example, or Dirk Nowitzki in basketball.

Or Pasta the last several seasons for the Czechs as another example.

Those 3 Germans are unreal! Peterka is damn good himself as well.

I keep saying that if Czech hockey could get those 4 Germans that we'd be at the 4 nations cup right now. Give Drai Pasta and Stutzl on line 1. Give Necas Zacha and Hertl (move 1 to wing). That is a top 6!

Seider at 25 a night on top pair. Not toss in Hronek and Gudas and we're cooking!

It does get really thin after that for the German's though and not much in the pipeline. As an international nerd, the German's are taking some shit kickings at the Jr Levels. And the draft has not been kind lately.

Last 4 drafts (no one in 2024). One 2nd rounder, one third rounder (part of Oilers not wanting Walstedt for free) and then 5,6,7 guys. We'll see how it goes.