Leon Draisaitl Eyes Olympic Winter Games as NHL Season Begins
Edmonton Oilers star Leon Draisaitl is eagerly anticipating teh upcoming Olympic Winter Games in February,calling participation ”one of the special moments that you can experience as an athlete.” This year’s games in Milan adn Cortina d’Ampezzo mark a notable shift from the 2018 and 2022 Olympics, as the National Hockey League will interrupt its season and release its top players to compete.
“Of course it is a topic of conversation, no question,” Draisaitl stated from the Oilers’ locker room, acknowledging the excitement surrounding Olympic selection.”We will have boys who are definitely there and some who definitely have a chance.” He believes Canada is a strong favorite for gold, but emphasized that all national teams will be represented by their NHL stars, including a competitive German squad. The upcoming NHL season, beginning with a Wednesday night matchup between the Florida Panthers and the Chicago Blackhawks featuring Lukas Reichel, serves as a prelude to the Olympic competition.
Draisaitl, currently the highest-paid ice hockey professional globally, is widely considered Germany‘s best player. Though, he is supported by a growing number of German players excelling in the NHL. Moritz Seider of the Detroit Red Wings is a top defenseman, while Tim Stützle is a key player for the Ottawa Senators. JJ Peterka recently signed a five-year, $38.5 million contract with the Buffalo Sabres (approximately 32.8 million euros), building on his 68 scorer points from last season.
Other German players vying for Olympic spots include Reichel (Blackhawks), goalkeeper Philipp Grubauer (Seattle Kraken), and Nico Sturm (Minnesota Wild). Sturm, a Stanley Cup champion with both the Colorado Avalanche (2022) and Florida Panthers, has become a crucial player for Germany’s national coach Harold kreis since his debut at the 2023 World Championship. Young Oilers prospect Josh Samanski has also impressed Draisaitl during pre-season training, with Draisaitl believing he has the potential to play in the NHL and represent Germany internationally.
The success of German ice hockey is also reflected in coaching ranks. Marco Sturm,who led Germany to a silver medal at the 2018 South Korea Olympics,has now been appointed head coach of the Boston Bruins,a team for which he previously played and helped develop German record holder Draisaitl. Draisaitl lauded this achievement as “outstanding for German ice hockey” and a “very fine task” for Sturm.
Draisaitl himself has surpassed Sturm as Germany’s all-time leading goal scorer in the NHL and will have the opportunity to add to his current total of 399 goals during Thursday night’s game against the Calgary Flames.
Source: DPA/STEP**
