The Go-To Guys
3 years ago
To hear Leon Draisaitl tell it, his five-point game in a 7-1 romp over the Ottawa Senators Wednesday to push the Edmonton Oilers to 17-11-0 at the hallway mark of the season is simply part of his job description. His is the life of a go-to guy in every way.
Alongside Connor McDavid, whose job title is exactly the same, for a second straight game, Draisaitl’s third regular season hat-trick – he has one on the playoffs – and two assists to go with a three-point night by McDavid was plenty to lead the Oilers to their third straight win since they were swept in three games by the Toronto Maple Leafs.
A week ago, after a 6-1 loss to the Maple Leafs, completing a sweep in which he was held to a lone assist, Draisaitl was getting grilled about struggling to produce in those three games — which is also part of the job description. Last night, after a game in which he and McDavid toyed with the Senators, Draisaitl was back at it in the post-game Zoom with reporters.
The five points gives Draisaitl 15 points in six games, all wins, against the Senators and 14-28-42 through 28 games. After being held without a point against the Maple Leafs, McDavid now has 16-32-48 to sit atop NHL scoring. They’re sitting one-two going into another game with the Senators Friday, which is a luxury very few teams ever have. That’s a big deal, no?
PART OF THE JOB
Nov 2, 2019; Pittsburgh, PA, USA; Edmonton Oilers center Connor McDavid (97) and center Leon Draisaitl (29) look on at the face-off circle against the Pittsburgh Penguins during the third period at PPG PAINTS Arena. The Oilers won 2-1 in overtime. Mandatory Credit: Charles LeClaire-USA TODAY Sports
“Sometimes it’s just inches,” said Draisaitl, asked about the difference between stretches like the one he and the Oilers had against Toronto and a romp like this. “The last couple weeks I’ve had enough chances to score. Sometimes they go in, sometimes they don’t. That’s just the way this game works. That’s how it works for every player in this league.”
Draisaitl had an assist in a 3-2 win over the Calgary Flames on Saturday and scored a goal in a 3-2 win over the Senators Monday when reunited with McDavid on a line with Kailer Yamamoto. Last night, Draisaitl and McDavid looked as good together as they have in a long time – both at 5-on-5 and on the power play. His 3-0 PP goal was a thing of beauty and so was the 7-0 goal on a backhand pass between the legs by McDavid.
“That’s our job as go-to guys, as leaders on the team,” he said. “It’s our job as the leadership group, and collectively as a team to find a way out of it and go in the right direction. I thought our team did a great job of sticking with that in the Calgary game and we’re back to 3-0 in the last three (games). Huge props to our group.”
The challenge, as always, for coach Dave Tippett is squeezing enough from the rest of his line-up when he leans on his dynamic duo. Last night, Tippett got goals from James Neal, playing with Gaetan Haas and Alex Chiasson, Jujhar Khaira, at pivot between Devin Shore and Patrick Russell, and Darnell Nurse. It was a quiet night production-wise for his second line, Jesse Puljujarvi, Ryan Nugent-Hopkins and Tyler Ennis.
That’s the reason Tippett can’t and won’t commit to playing Draisaitl and McDavid together beyond shift-to-shift. With 93 goals, the Oilers sit tied for first in that category with the Tampa Bay Lighting. Their 3.32 goals per game ranks fifth. The scoring depth, thanks to help from Nurse and Barrie on the back end, is better this season. But when the Oilers hit a dry stretch like they did against Toronto, Tippett goes to the hammer.
THE BOTTOM LINE
Mar 2, 2020; Nashville, Tennessee, USA; Edmonton Oilers center Leon Draisaitl (29) skates with the puck during the first period against the Nashville Predators at Bridgestone Arena.
“He’s such a strong player,” Tippett said of Draisaitl. “He holds the puck, he uses his body so well. Forehand, backhand, it doesn’t seem to matter to him. In tight spots he has so much poise with the puck. He’s an elite player, and when you put the two of them together, it’s a pretty good combination.” Pretty good? Sure. I’m thinking having two Hart Trophies and three scoring titles between them qualifies as pretty good.
“We’ve been through a lot here and known each other for a long time,” Draisaitl told Mark Spector of Sportsnet. “Lots of ups and downs, and you kind of grow together. Starting really young together, both of us just 18 years old, you build that friendship. You go through things that are fun, and things that are not so much fun, and you have to learn.”
Previously by Robin Brownlee
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