HEY LEON!

What a difference a year makes. This time last year, we were talking about the ‘Deutschland Dangler’ and the possibility of a big, skill center finally playing for the Edmonton Oilers. These months later? Sedated for McDavid?

Not so fast. Leon Draisaitl is writing an impressive story in junior.

Man it’s easy to forget about a player when he’s sent out. Leon Draisaitl had two assists for the Oilers on December 31st against Calgary and was sent away soonafter. That’s fewer than 70 days ago and honestly except for a few morsels of information we don’t really know how he’s doing. Let’s have a look.

Buddy is officially kicking ass as we head toward spring. His numbers last year (64GP, 38-67-105 1.64ppg) and this (26GP, 16-27-43 1.65 ppg) are identical but Leon should eclipse 2013-14 by season’s end (he’s trending that way).

At even strength, Leon has improved slightly year over year and he’s finding the range in recent weeks. In his last 11 games, LD is 9-14-23 (2.09ppg) and things are looking up for the native of Cologne, Germany.

Bylsma is a guest coach for the Kelowna Rockets, so no news on that front. However, Serdachny’s presence in Kelowna should be viewed as a good thing—Leon needs to work on his skating, as almost all big men do—and the organization’s continued attention to Draisaitl is an encouraging sign.

Since he left Edmonton, the Oilers continued to be a poor team and there’s every chance we’ll see another lottery pick again this summer. Three of the top five are centers (McDavid, Eichel, Strome) and it could mean Leon spends a season in the AHL. There’s also talk of signing Derek Roy and some believe that will keep the big German on the farm. 

I think Leon has every chance to make the Oilers in the fall. If Edmonton drafts McDavid or Eichel all bets are off. However, if Strome is the pick, chances are he’ll head back to junior and the ‘Deutschland Dangler’ spends another fall in our city. He could make it as a LW and eventually force a (signed) Derek Roy down the depth chart.