draisaitl has been this way dating back to all of last season. I remember many of us questioning if he was hurt or something because of it. How he even put up 100 points despite awful work ethic, blind forced passes and taking stupid penalties every game was beyond me. Well actually it’s because of Mcdavid feeding him on the PP but still. lol. He even admitted there were long stretches where he could play better. And it has carried over into this season. But, he’s a beast come playoff time which is the most important thing, right?
I think Draisaitl has always been this way, or at least people have perceived him as such. I think it's a combination of his unorthodox stride and energy conservation that makes him seem "lazy." Whether he actually lacks effort in some games or not, I don't know. It's an 82-game grind (plus playoffs) so it only makes sense that some players conserve their energy over the course of the season. Maybe Draisaitl saves his energy for the homestretch and playoffs and it's unfortunate that injuries have decimated him each of the last three playoff runs.
But the things you mention, the blind passes, the turnovers, and the apparent lack of back checking are nothing new. People have complained about these since before time. What is new, and just started last year, or even the 2022 playoffs, is the stupid penalties. I don't know if its frustration on his part, but they certainly don't help matters and he needs to find a better way to deal with his frustration. Maybe writing in a journal during the intermissions?