Draisaitl sends heartwarming text to Oilers' newest prospect O'Reilly
Being drafted by the Edmonton Oilers wasn’t the only unbelievable part of last night for 18-year-old forward Sam O’Reilly.
Shortly after being selected, the Oilers released a video of O’Reilly sharing a text he got from Leon Draisaitl. It helps show not only what a great leader the 28-year-old is, but what an outstanding culture the entire organization has.
“He said, ‘Hey kiddo, it’s Leon Draisailt here, happy to have you a part of our organization man,” O’Reilly read aloud. “Enjoy the night with your family and friends. It’s special. The fun is only starting though, believe it or not. See you in a couple of months.'”
For Draisaitl, sending that text is simply a small gesture that likely took no more than a few minutes. It was clear, however, from O’Reilly’s reaction, just how much it meant to him to have one of the NHL’s most elite talents send him such a welcoming message.
“I’m not going to be able to process it for a bit, I know that,” O’Reilly explained. “It means the world, to see a guy like Draisaitl who’s one of, if not the best hockey player in the world. It’s something I’ll remember for the rest of my life. Going to be hard to put this text message away.”
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It came as a major surprise to see the Oilers end up with a first-round pick last night, as they didn’t have one going in after trading it to the Anaheim Ducks for Adam Henrique and Sam Carrick. After the 31st pick of the draft was made, however, it was announced that the Oilers had acquired the 32nd overall selection from the Philadelphia Flyers, which they then used moments later to draft O’Reilly.
It’s certainly a cool organization for O’Reilly to be drafted to, as he’ll get to meet the likes of Draisaitl and Connor McDavid in just a few months time.
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