McDavid lauds Draisaitl: He's the best player on many nights
The Edmonton Oilers didn't need Leon Draisaitl to do much in their 5-1 victory over the Vancouver Canucks in Game 6 on Saturday night, but he still found a way to make headlines.
Draisaitl became the third-fastest player ever to collect 100 career playoff points when he assisted on Evander Kane's tally that made it 5-1 in the third period. He got his 99th when he set up Dylan Holloway's goal that opened the scoring in the first.
Fewest games to reach the 100 career point mark - #StanleyCup Playoff history (1918-present):
- StatsCentre (@StatsCentre) May 19, 2024
46- Wayne Gretzky
50- Mario Lemieux
60- @EdmontonOilers Leon Draisaitl (Via 2 assists in tonight's Gm6 win over VAN)
67- Jari Kurri
74- Mike Bossy
75- Sidney Crosby
77- Nathan MacKinnon pic.twitter.com/b1sc1sJfkJ
"He has always been good in the playoffs from Day 1," Connor McDavid said about his fellow Oilers superstar, per Sports 1440's Jason Gregor. "He is one of the best players in the world, and many nights, he is the best player. He is able to elevate his game at the most important time. He's been great again this playoff."
Draisaitl leads all NHL skaters in these playoffs with 23 points in 11 games. His 15 assists are second only to McDavid. Teammate Zach Hyman and Colorado Avalanche forward Valeri Nichushkin (who was banned from the playoffs Monday before his team was eliminated Friday) are the only players with more goals than Draisaitl in this postseason (10 and nine, respectively).
The German dynamo has been dominant in the playoffs over the last few years. He racked up 13 goals and five assists across 12 postseason games in 2023 after amassing 32 points (including 25 helpers) over 16 contests in 2022.
McDavid chipped in three assists of his own in Saturday's victory, which forced Game 7 on Monday in Vancouver. The three-time Hart Trophy winner now has 96 playoff points of his own, and he's done that in 60 games.
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