ST. PAUL, Minn. — The Edmonton Oilers wasted no time establishing dominance during their game against the Minnesota Wild, scoring just five seconds into their first power play. Connor McDavid set up his teammate Leon Draisaitl with a precise cross-slot pass that led to a powerful one-timer. Interestingly, the goal was later credited to Zach Hyman, who had positioned himself cleverly against the post, inadvertently redirecting the puck into the net.
Reflecting on the play, Hyman remarked, “I turn and he shoots it and you feel it, but you’re kind of like, ‘Ehhh.’ But Leon was the first to say, ‘It was yours.’ It didn’t matter.” In the second period, Draisaitl found the net himself, contributing to an impressive performance that resulted in the Oilers scoring a season-high seven goals, marking their fourth consecutive victory of the week, with Draisaitl assisting on three of those goals.
“Good karma for him, obviously. I think he’s been playing unbelievably, both ends of the ice,” Hyman stated. “I think he’s not getting enough credit for what he’s doing on the other end. Obviously he’s scoring lots of goals and making plays, but defensively he’s been unbelievable.” Draisaitl’s remarkable stats this season show he has netted 21 goals and made 21 assists, totalling 42 points over 29 games, putting him on track for a remarkable 118 points—just short of his career-best last season. Despite his stellar performance, Draisaitl chose not to address the media post-game.
A German native, who was selected third overall in the 2014 NHL Draft, Draisaitl was instrumental in the Oilers reaching the Stanley Cup finals last season. With him and three-time NHL MVP McDavid spearheading the team, alongside contributors like Hyman and Ryan Nugent-Hopkins, Edmonton appears ready for another shot at playoff glory.
The Oilers are determined to make their mark this season, especially after securing Draisaitl with an impressive eight-year contract extension worth $112 million—setting a record for the highest salary cap hit in league history. Having overcome a rough start with three consecutive losses, during which they were outscored 15-3, the team has bounced back to win eight of their last ten encounters, including a decisive victory over a Wild team that had previously held the best record in the NHL.
“Our players really stood out tonight, and I can’t say that anybody had an off game. Everyone was really good, but Leon really was at another level,” commented head coach Kris Knoblauch, praising the team’s overall performance.