Oilers Leon Draisaitl Gives Hilariously Blunt Take On What Preseason Means
Photo credit: The Hockey News
Edmonton Oilers superstar Leon Draisaitl spoke to reporters after their preseason came to an end and gave his brutally honest take on what the preseason means to him.
Draisaitl's comment echoes what many NHL fans feel about the preseason and how little impact it has on how a team performs overall during the year. NHL organizations use the preseason as a measuring stick to see how their prospects are developing and whether they're ready to make the leap into the NHL while giving the veterans a chance to play a few games to warm up but likely sit out until opening night.
The Oilers preseason did not go as well as they hoped as they finished with a losing record and having several poor performances. Now with the season upon them and the opening rosters set, the Oilers can get to work and build new chemistry as the team has made several changes to the roster since game seven of the Stanley Cup finals.
The organization has added several players to the roster including Viktor Arvidsson, Jeff Skinner, Vasily Podkolzin and Ty Emberson. It may take a few weeks for the team to find it's proper lines and will give head coach Kris Knoblauch and assistant coach Paul Coffey time to work out the defensive pairings and who will work best.
Draisatil himself had an eventful summer as he committed his career to the Oilers with an 8-year contract extension worth $112 million holding a cap hit of $14 million per year. With his contract out of the way, he now has a chance to just play the game he loves and help push the Oilers to their goal of winning the Stanley Cup.
The Oilers home opener and season opener will begin on Wednesday October 9th when they face off against the Winnipeg Jets. Game time will be 10:00 PM eastern.
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