Leon Draisaitl is one of the best ice hockey players in the world. In Germany, however, hardly anyone receives this. Why actually?
Ice hockey in Germany is booming. With an average of 17,829 spectators per game, the Cologne native set a European record for the second time in a row and even beat six NHL. And with 7781 visitors, the entire DEL is also one in one game per game in Europe. The national team, which won Olympic silver in 2018 and became vice world champion in 2023, also played a large part of this.
With all the current popularity of ice hockey in Germany, it is almost a little strange that the following is not very important in public: One of the best ice hockey players in the world is Cologne.
52 goals in 71 games
With 52 goals in 71 games, Leon Draisaitl recently reached a new milestone and was the first German to win Maurice Richard Trophy as the best scorer of the NHL, the best ice hockey league in the world. “I am very proud of it. I never thought that this would ever be possible for me in this league,” said Edmonton Oilers striker.
Personal awards for Draisaitl are nothing new. As early as 2020, he wrote history when he was also the first German for the MVP – the most valuable player – of the NHL season. And twice. Draisaitl won both the choice among journalists and the choice among the players.
That year, Draisaitl also secured the title as the top scorer in the league as the player with the most goals and most of the templates. This also caused a sensation in Germany. Draisaitl was voted Germany’s athlete of the year – as the first ice hockey professional and as a second team athlete according to Dirk Nowitzki.
Career start at the Cologne Haien
The ice hockey has been put in the cradle. He was born on October 27, 1995 in Cologne. At that time his father Peter played for the Cologne sharks In the DEL. In 2003 he started with ice hockey at the Bambinis of the KEC. Draisaitl ran for young sharks for six years. In 2009 he moved to the youth of the Adler Mannheim.
Peter Draisaitl (left), from 2017 to 2019 coach of the Cologne Haie, welcomed his son Leon as a training guest in 2018.
Only three years later, the jump over the large pond followed, but not yet in the NHL, but to the Prince Albert Raiders in the Western Hockey League, one of the three highest Canadian ice hockey. In his premiere season, Draisaitl with 105 scorer points of his team became the top scorer. This was also not hidden from the scouts from the NHL. In 2014, the Edmonton Oilers pulled the Kölner in third place in the draft.
More and more than 100 scorer points per season
In Edmonton, Draisaitl has developed into one of the best players in the world and has gathered more than 100 scorer points per season in recent years. That has now also paid off financially. Last October, Draisaitl signed a new working paper, which guarantees him a total of $ 112 million in the next eight years. He is currently the best paid ice hockey players in the world. “I think I deserve this for a year. I think I am very high in many statistics in the past five years,” he said.
For a long time, however, it will not be held as a top earner. Because Connor McDavid, the best ice hockey player in his generation, will soon sign a new contract that should be better endowed than Draisaitls. But that won’t disturb him, after all, McDavid is his teammate.
Only the Stanley Cup is still missing
But despite all the record contracts and personal awards: the big throw is still missing. Namely the win of the Stanley Cup, the championship in the NHL. Last season, the Oilers were about to win the title, but had to give up the Florida Panthers 3: 4 in the final series.
“You can’t be closer than we were last year,” said Draisaitl. This year it should finally work. The playoffs start for the Oilers on Tuesday (April 22nd, 2025). The first opponents are the Los Angeles Kings. “I would give up every personal trophy to really win the Stanley Cup that in my hand,” he said.
A title gain would then finally help Draisaitl to finally get more attention in Germany. “I would not lie if I said that I would be happy that this would be recognized more in Germany,” said Draisaitl about his achievements. “I don’t know how much I could do to get more attention.”
Draisaitl keeps your fingers crossed by Cologne Haien
Maybe Draisaitl could even cheer twice this year. He is still closely connected to his home club and the Cologne sharks are currently playing for the German championship against the Eisbären Berlin. “I keep my fingers crossed for the KEC. For the fans, that would be something very special for the club,” said Draisaitl.
