Leon Draisaitl Professional German ice hockey player Date of Birth: 27.10.1995 Country: Germany

1. Early Career and NHL Draft
2. NHL Debut and Breakthrough
3. Career Highlights
4. Award-Winning Season and Leadership
5. International Play
6. Personal Life

Early Career and NHL Draft

Leon Draisaitl, a German professional ice hockey player, was selected with the 3rd overall pick by the Edmonton Oilers in the 2014 NHL Entry Draft. From 2007 to 2011, he played in the German junior league for clubs in Cologne and Mannheim. Draisaitl spent the 2011-2012 season in the German Development League before transitioning to the Western Hockey League (WHL) for the 2012-2015 seasons. He played for the Prince Albert Raiders and the Kelowna Rockets, winning the WHL Championship and the Stafford Smythe Memorial Trophy (MVP of the Memorial Cup) in 2015.

NHL Debut and Breakthrough

In his NHL debut with the Oilers on October 9, 2014, Draisaitl recorded his first point on October 24, 2014, with a goal against the Carolina Hurricanes. Despite playing only 37 games in his rookie season, he impressed with his play. On May 8, 2017, Draisaitl had a remarkable performance in Game 6 of the second round of the Stanley Cup Playoffs against the Anaheim Ducks, scoring a hat-trick and adding two assists for a total of five points.

Career Highlights

On August 16, 2017, Draisaitl signed an 8-year contract extension with the Oilers worth $68 million. He made his NHL All-Star Game debut in 2019, scoring a hat-trick against the Los Angeles Kings on March 26, 2019, to record his first in the regular season. Two days later, he became the first German player in NHL history to reach 100 points in a season. On April 6, 2019, he scored his 50th goal of the season, another milestone for German players in the league.

Award-Winning Season and Leadership

Draisaitl's 2018-19 season was exceptional, as he led the league in points with 105 (50 goals, 55 assists) and finished second in goal scoring. He received the Art Ross Trophy as the NHL's scoring champion, becoming the first German player to do so. In the 2020 All-Star Game, Draisaitl scored four goals and tallied two assists for a total of six points. He surpassed Marco Sturm as the highest-scoring German player in NHL history on April 26, 2021, and became the first German to record 500 career NHL points.

International Play

Draisaitl represents Germany internationally and has participated in the World Junior Ice Hockey Championships in 2012 and 2013, as well as the IIHF World Championships in 2013 and 2014. He also represented Team Europe at the 2016 World Cup of Hockey.

Personal Life

Leon Draisaitl is the son of former German ice hockey player Peter Draisaitl. He began playing hockey at the age of five and cites Pavel Datsyuk and Cristiano Ronaldo as his idols. Draisaitl is known for his exceptional work ethic and competitive drive on and off the ice.