Ice hockey giant dreams of a coup
The Drysettle passport monster enchants North America
May 27, 2022 at 7:54 pm
Leon Drystel is getting closer and closer to his dream of winning the Stanley Cup. The German player breaks records one by one – for his coach he is “the best passer in the world”. His co-star Conor McDavid is excited, too.
After his next gig on his way to his Stanley Cup dream goal, Leon Drystel never wanted to be the center of attention. “I am not going to stand here and speak for myself,” the exceptional performer said after leading the Edmonton Oilers single-handedly to the semi-finals of the NHL Playoffs: “I think our entire squad did an amazing job. I’m really proud of the boys.”
But others spoke of him, hymns of praise came from all sides. Conor McDavid praised Drysetel’s attacking partner, “He was amazing. It’s hard to put into words how amazing he was there. He dominated every game from start to finish.” His boss even awarded him a knighthood. “I think he’s the best passer in the National Hockey League, the best passer in the world, and the number of plays he makes for our team is amazing,” said coach Jay Woodcraft. “He’s a complete fighter.”
Draisaitl has never had a love affair with the playoffs, having won only one series in his previous seven seasons in the NHL. Now, five minutes into overtime, he set up McDavid in Game Five against the Calgary Flames and by providing four assists, he laid the foundation for the Oilers’ first semi-final appearance in 16 years – his playoffs so far.
The Oilers’ victory was unexpected
In a 4-1 win in the Best of Seven series, the Colony native made marks on the history books. On average, Draisaitl managed three assists per game, racking up an incredible 17 points in the five quarter-finals encounters – the third most ever in a series. Draisaitl has completed five playoffs in a row with at least three points, after only four matches becoming the only record holder. Additionally, he was the first NHL player to submit four blocks in a third of a third duel playoff game.
After the season ends, the three-time Allstar shares the lead with McDavid in the scorers’ standings with 26 points. In general, however, such a victory for the two oilers was not expected. Germany Athlete of the Year said: “We’ve had a lot of tough moments where people were tough for us and said we can’t win. We haven’t won anything yet, but we’ve taken the next step. It feels great.” 2020.
The team is now “only halfway there, we can achieve more”. The Stanley Cup is “the ultimate goal. That’s why we celebrate one day and prepare for the next round.” Then it will be against the Colorado Avalanche for Nico Storm or the St. Louis Blues for a place in the final. Meanwhile, in the Eastern Conference, the Carolina Hurricanes advanced 3-2 against the New York Rangers and were one win away from reaching the semi-finals as the Tampa Bay Lightning awaits. The Hurricanes won 3-1 (1-1, 1-0, 1-0) and were undefeated at home after seven home games in these playoffs.