The Edmonton Oilers shooting star also has his sights set on World Cup and Olympic qualification
54 games, 44 points! Leon Draisaitl's season can be summed up in one word: sensational. The 20-year-old striker for the Edmonton Oilers has made his breakthrough this season - and in the best league in the world. It's no surprise, then, that the Cologne native, alongside Dennis Seidenberg of the Boston Bruins, is one of the first players nominated for the 16-man squad of Team Europe at the 2016 World Cup of Hockey (September 17 to October 1) in Toronto, Canada.
“It is a great honor to have been nominated for this team and to be able to take part in such a mega event,” said Draisaitl. For many experts it was already clear in advance that the German international enjoyed Ralph Krueger's trust. The former German international and current board member of the top English football club Southampton acts as head coach of the European team and has already coached Draisaitl's team, the Edmonton Oilers.
However, the nomination was not due to Krueger's old relationships with his former club. In fact, the father of the German national player Justin could hardly avoid Draisaitl. His performances in the current season were too strong. “I'm looking forward to this tournament because I can learn a lot there and the guys I play with have all followed a similar path to the one I have ahead of me,” said Draisaitl modestly.
In fact, there are some well-known professionals such as his German compatriot Dennis Seidenberg as well as greats such as Zdeno Chara, Marian Hossa, Thomas Vanek, Anze Kopitar and Tomas Tatar in the European squad. The Slovenian Kopitar in particular is something of a role model for Draisaitl. “Being able to play with him is a big deal. He has always been one of my favorite players and I follow a similar style of play.”
However, it is still too early to set a goal: “We have to wait and see. Neither we nor all the other teams have the entire squad together yet. But our group is already tough.” On June 1st, the teams have to announce their complete squad. Draisaitl: “Of course I hope that the remaining places in our team will be filled with many German players.” Names like Tobias Rieder, Christian Ehrhoff, Korbinian Holzer, Tom Kühnhackl are circulating, as are Thomas Greiss and Philipp Grubauer. “It would also be great for German ice hockey if guys like this could represent the German colors. They deserved it.”
Speaking of German ice hockey. Things are getting serious for the national team, especially before the World Cup of Hockey, with the Olympic qualifiers in Latvia at the beginning of September. All NHL players can take part in the four-nation tournament. Germany must finish first in Riga to be able to take part in Pyeongchang in 2018.
Of course, Draisaitl already has this date in mind. “The Olympic Games are the big goal. If nothing serious comes up, I'll be there in Latvia," said the striker and added with a grin: "Of course only if the national coach nominates me." Marco Sturm has probably already made this decision. If everything goes according to plan, both will meet again in around six weeks at the latest, when the national team is in the preparation phase for the 2016 Ice Hockey World Cup in Russia.
The Team Europe squad at the World Cup of Hockey
Gate: Frederik Andersen (Denmark/Anaheim Ducks), Jaroslav Halak (Slovakia/New York Islanders)
Defense: Zdeno Chara (Slovakia/Boston Bruins), Roman Josi (Switzerland/Nashville Predators), Dennis Seidenberg (Germany/Boston Bruins), Andrej Sekera (Slovakia/Edmonton Oilers), Mark Streit (Switzerland/Philadelphia Flyers)
Striker: Mikkel Boedker (Denmark/Colorado Avalanche), Leon Draisaitl (Germany/Edmonton Oilers), Jannik Hansen (Denmark/Vancouver Canucks), Marian Hossa (Slovakia/Chicago Blackhawks), Anze Kopitar (Slovenia/Los Angeles Kings), Frans Nielsen (Denmark /New York Islanders), Tomas Tatar (Slovakia/Detroit Red Wings), Thomas Vanek (Austria/Minnesota Wild), Mats Zuccarello (Norway/New York Rangers).