Leon Draisaitl is leading the NHL in goals and the surging Oilers on 'both ends of the ice'
Edmonton Oilers center Leon Draisaitl, right, skates with the puck as Minnesota Wild right wing Ryan Hartman (38) defends during the second period of an NHL hockey game Thursday, Dec. 12, 2024, in St. Paul, Minn. Credit: AP/Matt Krohn
ST. PAUL, Minn. — The Edmonton Oilers needed just five seconds on their first power play of the game to take an early first-period lead in Minnesota, when Connor McDavid sent a slick cross-slot pass to co-star Leon Draisaitl for a textbook one-timer past Wild goalie Filip Gustavsson.
The goal was eventually awarded to Zach Hyman, who'd pressed his back against the post to give Draisaitl space and wound up deflecting the puck into the net.
“I turn and he shoots it and you feel it, but you’re kind of like, ‘Ehhh,’” Hyman said. “But Leon was the first to say, ‘It was yours.’ It didn’t matter.”
Draisaitl got a goal for himself in the second period. The NHL leader could spare one for a teammate on a night when the Oilers broke loose for a season high-tying seven goals in their fourth straight victory on Thursday, fueled by three assists from the 11th-year center.
“Good karma for him, obviously. I think he’s been playing unbelievably, both ends of the ice,” Hyman said. “I think he’s not getting enough credit for what he’s doing on the other end. Obviously he's scoring lots of goals and making plays, but defensively he’s been unbelievable.”
Draisaitl has 21 goals and 21 assists for 42 points in 29 games this season, putting him on pace for 118 points, which would be 10 shy of his career high from the 2022-23 season. Draisaitl, who has four goals and six assists in his last four games, was not made available to reporters after the game.
The native of Germany, who was the third overall pick in the 2014 draft, helped the Oilers come within one win of a Stanley Cup championship last season. With him and McDavid, the three-time NHL MVP, as the leaders of the show and standouts like Hyman and Ryan Nugent-Hopkins filling the top lines, Edmonton is poised for another deep playoff run.
Minnesota Wild goaltender Filip Gustavsson (32) defends his net as defenseman Brock Faber and Edmonton Oilers left wing Zach Hyman (18) compete for the puck during the second period of an NHL hockey game Thursday, Dec. 12, 2024, in St. Paul, Minn. Credit: AP/Matt Krohn
The Oilers are as determined as ever to capitalize on their star power, too, after signing Draisaitl to an eight-year, $112 million contract extension for the highest salary cap hit in league history. Their three-game losing streak by a combined 15-3 score to start the season is long passed. They've won eight of their last 10 games, after blowing out a Wild team that entered the night with the NHL's best record.
“Leon was really good. I think all of our players really stood out tonight. I can’t say that anybody had an off game. Everyone was really good, but Leon really was at another level,” coach Kris Knoblauch said.
