Tuesday, April 27, 2021
Spectacular record topped
The ice hockey world is amazed at Draisaitl
One template, one goal – and with it the next record: Leon Draisaitl has long been a top player in the NHL. Now he has the record as the best German scorer in the history of the North American ice hockey league. His pace is particularly impressive – Draisaitl is only 25 years old.
With a dry direct acceptance in the lower right corner, Leon Draisaitl secured the next milestone in his career. Germany’s Sportsman of the Year 2020 is now the best German scorer in the history of the NHL. The 25-year-old from Cologne scored a total of two points in his Edmonton Oilers 6-1 against the Winnipeg Jets and overtook the previous record holder, ex-national coach Marco Sturm, as the most dangerous German attacker in the world’s best ice hockey league. “We had some great players from Germany and to top this list is something special for me. I’m proud of it and it’s a great honor,” said Draisaitl.
He now comes in 468 games to a total of 488 points in the main round. Sturm collected 487 scorer points in his successful career, but needed twice as many games for it. At Draisaitl, the main round points are distributed over 191 goals and 297 assists. In the playoffs both got 22 scorer points each. “First of all, Sturmi was of course someone I looked up to as a young guy,” said Draisaitl. “I value him very much and have a very, very good relationship with Sturmi and I am always very happy to see him.”
“One of the best players in the world”
Sturm played 938 main round games in the NHL from 1997 to 2012 and is now an assistant coach with the Los Angeles Kings. He had once taken over the record from Jochen Hecht (463 points). “It was only a matter of time,” said Sturm of the German press agency about Draisaitl’s success. “The question is, I think: will there ever be another German player like Leon Draisaitl? The way he plays and scores points is hard to beat. This is just the beginning for him, him I think he will still set a few more records in his career. “
The speed with which Draisaitl now took over the record also earned great respect from his strike partner Connor McDavid. “To realize that he is the best German scorer in this league at a young age is something very special,” said the Canadian, who had an even better evening with three goals and an assist. National player Dominik Kahun prepared the goal to make it 3-0. “Leon is obviously a very respected player in the league and widely recognized as one of the best players in the world,” said McDavid.
In the past season, Draisaitl already performed outstandingly, was honored with 110 points as the first German top scorer in the NHL and as the most valuable player of the season. The personal awards don’t mean that much to the Cologne resident, the championship and the big Stanley Cup would be much more important to him. Draisaitl did not want to reveal whether there would be one more Kölsch to celebrate the day – the Oilers overtook the Jets in the table with their victory and are second again. “I’ll keep that to myself for now. But enjoy the evening with the boys, no question about it. But tomorrow it goes on and logically the focus is on the next game.”
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