Edmonton Oilers superstar Leon Draisaitl scored his 29th goal in the first five minute of a game in a 3-2 loss to the Washington Capitals.
The Edmonton Oilers will be without Connor McDavid for their next three games after the NHL suspended the superstar forward following an illegal cross-check to the head of Vancouver Canucks forward Conor Garland on Saturday.
It won’t be easy for voters to decide on a Hart Trophy winner in the NHL this season, but one analyst believes the easy choice for MVP is on the Edmonton Oilers
Edmonton Oilers forward Leon Draisaitl met with the media for the first time since news of McDavid's suspension broke, and the superstar gave a classic sassy comment on the state of NHL refereeing.
The Edmonton Oilers aren't taking the Connor McDavid suspension well, and now, top star Leon Draisaitl has fired back at the NHL with a major statement.
The past six months have been a whirlwind for Edmonton Oilers forward Vasily Podkolzin, who is now a fan-favourite in the Alberta capital.
Draisaitl is expected to be a core piece for the Oilers for the foreseeable future. He signed an eight-year, $112 million contract ($14 million average annual value) starting next season and is currently in the final season of an eight-year, $68 million contract ($8.5 million AAV) signed prior to the 2017-2018 season.
It was hard-nosed blueliner Darnell Nurse who picked up the primary assist. His contribution was being ready to take a Draisaitl pass, and blast a solid attempt on net but have it stopped by Kings goaltender Darcy Kuemper. Instead, it was Draisaitl who did all the work to make this four-on-four goal happen.
The entire post-game interview lasted a brisk 1:16. Draisaitl may have given a more "pissy" response in the past. This was notably calm and collected despite his obvious disappointment in the game's end results. This is a statement of Draisaitl's growth and maturity. He doesn't get too high when they win, and he doesn't get too low when they lose.
The Edmonton Oilers will be without suspended superstar Connor McDavid when they host the struggling Vancouver Canucks on Thursday night in the second game between the Pacific Division rivals in less than a week.
When Leon Draisaitl won his first Hart Trophy in 2019-20, he made his case during a stretch when teammate Connor McDavid was out with an injury. The Oilers had missed the playoffs in back-to-back years in 2017-18 and 2018-19 and found themselves back in the mix in 2019-20 after a hot start to the season.
The Edmonton Oilers host the Washington Capitals after Leon Draisaitl's two-goal game against the Vancouver Canucks in the Oilers' 3-2 loss.