Top 25 Under 25: #2 - Leon Draisaitl

I like talking about Leon Draisaitl. He’s the best player on this team following Connor McDavid. Good players help you win hockey games. Let’s see where everyone had him ranked.

For the record, those who voted ‘3’ had a ‘2’ for defenceman Oscar Klefbom. Solid all around.

LET’S TALK LEON

Oh my God, there’s absolutely no chance that there’s anyone better on this team second to Connor McDavid. Leon Draisaitl had 77 points next to McDavid for the majority of this season, and there’s absolutely no shitting anyone as to how important the kid from Germany is to this team.

Leon Draisaitl is good. He took care of everything this year on McDavid’s right side. We’ve got a little issue as to where he’s going to end up. We should probably talk about it.

Mike Mareen is my German go-to.

LEFT, RIGHT

The third pick overall in the 2014 NHL Entry Draft, Leon Draisaitl has made more than a splash with the Oilers. He’s absolutely cleaned up on McDavid’s right side. A deal for eight years at 8.5 million will keep this player in Oiler colours for many, many years.

2016-17

This guy scored 77 points. Yes, it was on Connor McDavid’s line, but this guy scored 77 points. We search and hunt and peck for a hero, and here’s one. The friggin’ OIlers shipped the last player to score 70 points in Jordan Eberle for a player who will likely score 30-something in Ryan Strome. They ought to keep ahold of this one.

DO WE REALLY GOTTA COMPLAIN?

Well, no. But we have to talk about how Draisaitl’s points came with McDavid. McDavid and Draisaitl were like peas and carrots out there. It kind of clouds the issue about whether or not Leon Draisaitl can run his own line, which is surely why the Oilers signed him to an eight year deal at 8.5 million a year.

THE GOOD

That’s Leon Draisaitl. He had a heck of a playoff run as well, scoring 16 points (6-10-16) in 13 playoff games Leon is a heck of a player. Next to Connor McDavid, Draisaitl runs the show. It is good.

BUT WHAT ABOUT WHEN HE’S NOT NEXT TO CONNOR McDAVID?

Oh, we’re about to find out. Maybe.

We don’t know what he does away from elite talent. The Oilers are hoping that he grabs the reins at centre so that he can kill the second line with Milan Lucic and whoever they put at 2RW. Could be Ryan Strome, could be Zack Kassian, who knows. The Oilers need Leon Draisaitl to take the reins at 2C. But that might not happen yet.

BUT YOU JUST GOT DONE SAYING

Yeah, I know what I said. The Edmonton Oilers don’t know what Leon Draisaitl is yet. Nobody really does. If you set him up next to McDavid, he’s going to run like clockwork. Surely, he’ll run his own line once he gets the chance.

If Leon Draisaitl is next to Connor McDavid, he’s going to score a ton. If he’s on his own line, it’s all up in the air.