EDMONTON — Leon Draisaitl will stroll into the Hockey Corridor of Fame with out quarrel within the first November that he turns into eligible, some 10 or 12 years from now.
And we’ll all marvel then, if not lengthy earlier than, the way it was that some individuals had the ignorance to say with conviction that this easy German centre was in some way a product of enjoying on a staff with Connor McDavid.
As if anybody may very well be this good by osmosis, or that somebody’s — even McDavid’s — coattails may very well be that huge.
As he crested the 50-goal mark for the fourth time in his profession Saturday — simply the fifteenth participant in NHL historical past to have 4 50-goal seasons — it was becoming that Draisaitl, listed as questionable to play after the morning skate, walked off the harm checklist to supply two goals and an help in a 3-2 time beyond regulation win over Calgary.
“He was superb tonight, getting back from an harm and scoring two essential goals for us,” marvelled 10-year teammate Darnell Nurse. “He made some superb defensive performs over the course of the sport — he was our chief on the market tonight.”
Draisaitl tramped down the best wing and ripped one off the far submit for his fiftieth purpose of the season, tying the sport 2-2 with 3:12 to play. Then he whistled dwelling No. 51 in time beyond regulation, one other well-placed wrist shot that capped a night time on which the Oilers’ finest participant this season did the whole lot you might probably ask of him — and extra.
It was his sixth OT winner of the season, an NHL file. Draisaitl, who wears his age (29) on his again this season, is now tied for the Oilers’ file with 72 game-winners, alongside Glenn Anderson and McDavid.
“I’ll get a name from my outdated man. And possibly my Mother too,” he joked post-game. “Tight video games are all the time a little bit extra particular, a little extra enjoyable to be in. I assumed we performed properly for probably the most half and hung in there, and generally you need to win these video games as properly.”
Like all nice gamers, you’ll by no means get a true sense of his price by chatting with Draisaitl. And the remaining of the Oilers, as they’re with McDavid, are operating out of descriptors for the completeness of his all-around sport.
“We now have enormous goals right here as a corporation, as a staff,” Nurse stated. “Generally you’re taking for granted the massive moments that occur all through the season, the massive moments that gamers produce. He is carried out a lot for our group, not simply this 12 months however years previously, and he simply continues.”
Draisaitl stated earlier than the sport, when requested about what has change into an annual climb to 50 goals, “I grew up as, properly, definitely not a purpose scorer. All the time been a passer, and I labored a lot at (the scoring) half of my sport. For that to shine by means of nonetheless means a lot to me.”
Quipped Nurse, “There aren’t many pass-first, constant 50-goal scorers. He’s one.”
Draisaitl beat the Flames’ younger Calder candidate Dustin Wolf with a pair of his trademark wristers, courtesy of a paddle recognized amongst his teammates as “The Burger Flipper.”
It’s a ugly twig with a blade like a spatula, however generally, the ugliest utensil cooks up the best delicacies.
“When you noticed his stick, you’ll be shocked he may shoot in any respect,” stated head coach Kris Knoblauch. “However he is very misleading. It does have some velocity, however I would not say it is overpowering. I do know the goalies discover it very tough to choose up his shot and the place it should go.”
It might sting the younger Wolf right now, with his staff seemingly cooked within the Western wild-card race after this important level misplaced. However at some point, he’ll inform his grandchildren that he confronted one of the most effective of all time and was within the crease on one of his legendary nights, as Draisaitl marks his fourth 50-goal season and sixth 100-point season.
That is the fourth time he has posted a 50-goal, 100-point marketing campaign. He was robbed of a seventh 100-point season within the shortened 2020-21 season, although he’s seemingly not carried out but.
The place some superstars don’t play damage, or others fail their groups come playoff time, no one performs damage and produces within the playoffs like Draisaitl. He dragged a sprained ankle by means of three rounds of the 2022 playoffs and had 32 factors in 16 video games.
“It is tough to play and rating within the common season and even tougher to do it within the playoffs,” Knoblauch stated. “And it’s virtually inconceivable to do it in playoffs once you’re damage. By some means, he finds a method to do it.”
So Draisaitl has matched Oilers Corridor of Famer Jari Kurri with 4 50-goal and 6 100-point seasons, however how does that evaluate to some of the opposite nice Europeans in NHL historical past? Let’s see:
The very best-scoring European of all time, the nice Jaromir Jagr, had simply three 50-goal seasons to go together with 5 100-point years. Alex Ovechkin has had 9 50-goal seasons however solely 4 100-point seasons on his resume — two lower than Draisaitl.
Evgeni Malkin has one 50-goal season and three 100-pointers, however he has the final word prize: three Stanley Cups.
Nonetheless simply 29 years outdated, Draisaitl has already surpassed some of the best Europeans in NHL historical past, the place 50-goal, 100-point seasons are involved:
Brothers Henrik and Daniel Sedin, Sens nice Daniel Alfredsson, Mats Sundin and Marian Hossa all had zero 50-goal seasons and one 100-point marketing campaign every. Henrik Zetterberg had none of both.
Peter Stastny (zero and 7), Teemu Selanne (three and three) and Sergei Fedorov (one and two) are all NHL greats whose numbers will seemingly be surpassed by Draisaitl.
There’s one award left, to make sure, and it comes after 4 rounds of playoffs.
The Edmonton Oilers might get there finally. And in the event that they do, Draisaitl’s fingerprints might be throughout it, you may be positive.
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