Finally. What was clearly the right move months ago has finally taken place in Edmonton as the Oilers have assigned C Leon Draisaitl to the WHL’s Prince Albert Raiders. It’s also expected in the next few days that Prince Albert will trade the forward to Kelowna, a team contending for a Memorial Cup this season.
It’s not the sexy move, but it’s absolutely the right move. Leon Draisaitl has tons of potential, he’s the prefect package for Edmonton down the middle. He possesses NHL ready size, and has some incredible skill to his game. On top of that, he’s a smart player and one that, even in the NHL, posted pretty good possession numbers.
The problem was, the offense wasn’t flowing for Leon, even being put in positions to succeed with strong line-mates. There is nothing wrong with it, but Leon just is not ready right now. No shame in that.
Draisaitl did get a nice taste of the NHL, and now knows what he needs to work on when he returns to the WHL. He’ll get the rest of the season and a lengthy playoff run to develop in, and will likely run through the league offensively. It should help this kid in the long-term.
For the Oilers? It gives them a lengthy chance to look at Anton Lander, a little over half of a season in fact. Lander, a former second round pick, is posting solid offensive totals in the AHL, and has proven to be a good defensive option in the NHL. The problem? He hasn’t pissed a drop offensively when it matters, in the NHL.
Anton Lander will get a chance in Edmonton’s top-nine the rest of the season, likely his last chance to make it as an Oiler. If he can take the bull by the horns, it would be a great help to the Oilers moving forward. Let’s hope he does.
As for Leon, we can only hope he knows what he needs to work on in the WHL, works on it, and comes back ready in September. This kid has the potential to be very good, the perfect compliment if you will. It’s all about development right now.
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