Leon Draisaitl is beyond all doubts in the NHL, but the ice hockey star is still missing the Stanley Cup. On the way to the title there is only the well -known chunk.
Leon Draisaitl has already written history in so many ways. He is the only German MVP so far, in 2020 he was voted the best player of the NHL – this season he could even win the hard memorial trophy for the second time. Only nine players in the history of the American ice hockey league managed to get these trophy more often.
DRAISAITL delivered repeatedly during this season. With 52 goals he was by far the best scorer of the NHL this season, into which he had gone as a best earner in the entire league. Before the first game, this was often made on the subject, Draisaitl had repeatedly had to emphasize that he had earned this status – although many experts, for example, saw his teammate Connor McDavid one step further up.
Edmonton Oilers can take revenge on the Florida Panthers
But this season was Draisaitl the one who had to carry the Edmonton Oilers on his shoulders for a long time. The Canadians experienced difficult times, after the first month the runner -up was there with a record of four wins and six defeats and did not make the impression at all as if he could play around the Stanley Cup again. But seven months later, the Oilers got exactly this opportunity. And a revenge.
As in the past season, the Florida Panthers will be the opponents, for the third time in a row this team is in the NHL final, now it goes against Edmonton for the second time. “We know them well. They are a good team, but we are also a really good team”said Draisaitl after the crucial 6: 3 success in game five against Dallas: “It’s nice to get a kind of revenge. We will be ready.”
In the final series, Draisaitl will be particularly in the spotlight, because all merits only become a real ice hockey champion from a superstar if he can put this oversized trophy into the air.
Draisaitl still thinks of the pain of the defeat
The Oilers have been waiting for each other for exactly 35 years to decide the final again, Draisaitl has been trying to do it since 2014 when he was drafted by the Canadians at number three. However, it has never been as short as in the past season, after a 0-3 deficit, Edmonton had been able to compensate for the series, and then narrowly lose game seven with 1: 2.
“It will remain present in a certain way forever. You couldn’t have been much scarce at the Stanley Cup. And yes, you have moments when you think a lot about it and of course that still hurts”said Draisaitl in retrospect in the course of the current season. “But on the other hand, it’s a new season. We have a new chance to work back and give ourselves the opportunity to be back in the final. We are working on that.”
Leon Draisaitl (right) in the NHL final series against Florida
Edmonton relies on a broad squad
The work has paid off, the Oilers prevailed against the Dallas stars with 4: 1 as before against the Vegas Golden Knights. In the first round, Edmonton started with two defeats against the Los Angeles Kings, but then won the following four games and was then in the playoff flow, who has now brought the team back to the showdown around the Stanley Cup.
There, as in the entire Postseason, Draisaitl will have to make an important contribution, but for him the success recipe of the Oilers is different. “Most of our depths have carried us through these playoffs and it is the reason why we are now in this position”said the 29-year-old in the course of the series against Las Vegas.
As the sixth German, Draisaitl wants the Stanley Cup
Five German players have won the Stanley Cup so far, but the best ice hockey player ever from Germany has not yet done this. Draisaitl likes to criticize that his achievements in his home country are not recognized as they deserve it – but not only in Germany, but also in the USA, the performance only moves in a much brighter light when they are crowned with titles. All the goals are hardly worth anything if the result is not victory.
Draisaitl knows that. He knows what he felt a year ago when he had already stretched his hand towards Stanley Cup, but the trophy was still torn from him. And he knows that he will now meet the team that was responsible for this pain. The Florida Panthers (there were also two defeats in the regular season) are its final opponent – and the Stanley Cup is still its end goal.