Draisaitl eyes different personal achievement with Edmonton Oilers this season
Edmonton Oilers forward Leon Draisaitl is no stranger when it comes to personal accolades in the NHL.
Draisaitl, who has amassed 399 goals and 956 points through his 790-game career, has an Art Ross Trophy, a Hart Trophy, and a Ted Lindsay Award to his name, all of which he won during the 2019-20 season, which saw him rack up 43 goals and 110 points in just 71 games.
The 29-year-old was also able to take home the Maurice Rocket Richard Trophy this past season thanks to a 52-goal output. It marked the fourth time in his career that he’s hit the 50-goal mark. Now, with his offensive abilities well established, he’s looking to further round out his two-way game.
When Draisaitl first entered the NHL, his defensive game was viewed as a work in progress. The Oilers’ star talent has changed that narrative, receiving Selke Trophy votes in both the 2019-20 and 2020-21 seasons. He elevated that part of his game to new heights in 2024-25, finishing sixth in Selke voting. This season, he’s aiming to be in the running to win the prestigious award.
“I’d like to be in the Selke conversation at the end of this year,” Draisaitl told reporters on Friday. “There’s a lot of things that go into that, and a lot of things that I can learn and get better at. There’s also a lot of things I think I do really well already. Just looking to chip away at it and get even better.”
What makes this new-aged version of Draisaitl all the more impressive is that improving upon his defensive play hasn’t hampered his offence in any way. He not only had another very productive 2024-25 season, but continued his usual production in the playoffs, scoring 11 goals and 33 points in 22 games.
Whether Draisaitl is able to put himself into the conversation of a player like Aleksander Barkov, who has won the Selke in each of the past two seasons and three in his career, remains to be seen. The fact that he is willing to speak so openly about it, however, goes to show just how much he’s matured since first entering the NHL in 2014.
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