Leon Draisaitl also missed the crowning glory of his career in the second attempt. As in the previous year, the German ice hockey star with the Edmonton Oilers lost the NHL final series against the Florida Panthers.
Leon Draisaitl quickly looked into the pizza boxes for the players of the Edmonton Oilers Outside the guest cabin in the ice hockey arena in Sunrise, on three plastic tables. The hair and the thick playoff beard still wet, the 29-year-old grabbed in his beige suit after a short look and disappeared with a box in his right hand towards the team bus.
He just wanted to go. Away from the place where he had to watch again like that Florida Panthers the win of the Stanley Cups celebrated. As in the previous year, Draisaitl and the Oilers had here, im Sunshine Statelost the decisive game of the NHL final series. “Our goal was to win, but unfortunately we are now standing again with empty hands”, he said in the brightly lit interview room.
It was very scarce a year ago, this time clearly
A year ago, the Oilers narrowly lost the series in seven games and had to give up 1: 2 in the decisive match. “You can’t be more tight at the Stanley Cup”, After that, Draisaitl had repeatedly emphasized. This time, on the other hand, they were as far away from the title as Edmonton geographically from Florida. The fact that this one -sided final series lasted at six games was thanks to Draisaitl, who had scored the Oilers in game one and four to victory.
Florida, on the other hand, dominated the games three, five and six, won 6: 1, 5: 2 and 5: 1. Edmonton would have had to win on Tuesday evening in Sunrise, 50 kilometers north of Miami, to force such a seventh and decisive game at home. However, as in the previous four matches, the Oilers had to accept the first goal again. Edmonton’s best defender, Mattias Ekholm, Florida’s striker Sam Reinhart made it too easy in the fifth minutes.
Sixth final game after goalkeeper error decided
At the latest when Reinhart scored 3-0 after a serious goalkeeper from Stuart Skinner in the 38th minute, the game and this final series were decided. And so, as on June 24, 2024, Draisaitl stood out and with a sad face in front of the media and had to explain why this time it hadn’t been enough for the title. “Just don’t score enough goals, collected too many at the back, too many small mistakes”, “ Summer from the native of Cologne Schmallippig.
Cheers at the Florida Panthers.
Edmonton had come through the first three rounds of the Ko round very confidently, especially in the surprisingly clear victories against 2023 champion Vegas Golden Knights (4: 1) and the high traded Dallas stars (4: 1) Saved strength and leave the impression. But these Florida Panthers were like an Anaconda in the final series, had the oilers in many games in the strangle, gave them little space, they simply did not allow them to develop.
Draisaitl with most points and playoff record
In addition, the old and new champions with Sergej Bobrowsky had the clearly better goalkeeper. While the Oilers from the fourth game was always unclear who would be in goal, the actual number one, Skinner or the strong replacement, Calvin Pickard, never asked this question for Florida.
According to Draisaitl, these Panthers were stronger than that of the previous year, especially deeper. He didn’t care that he had scored the most points of all players with 33 points in these two months of playoffs together with Oilers captain Connor McDavid. The fact that he even set up a new NHL playoff record with four winners in the extension. Because the season goal, Stanley Cup win, had missed Draisaitl and the Oilers again.
Sportschau, June 18, 2025 08:20 p.m.
Nico Sturm for the second time
While the Cologne and his teammates flew back to Edmonton in the second attempt without title from Florida, Nico Sturm cheered. The national player who already with the 2022 Colorado avalanche Master had become champion again – even if he was not used in the final series. “Taking the cup again to be allowed to get it back up is an absolute privilege”, said Sturm, who only at the end of the change period in March San Jose Sharks had come to the panthers.
The Augsburg completed eight playoff games for his new club and enjoyed success with his two brothers and his fiance on the ice. But the 30-year-old also thought of Draisaitl. “I feel very much with him, but I am firmly convinced that Leon will also get his Stanley Cup. From a German perspective, nobody deserves more than he”, ” emphasized Sturm. Draisaitl, he added, was “The best player we have in Germany, the figurehead in our sport “.
It should be a very special summer for Draisaitl. First he wanted to win the Stanley Cup with the Oilers, and then, in August, in Provence his Canadian fiancee, Celeste Desjardin, marry. Soon the ice hockey superstar will only wear the wedding ring – and will have to wait at least another year for the master ring.