The German Gretzky?

It’s fair to say that Leon Draisaitl has already made history. Back in June of this year, the then 18-year-old youngster was the number three pick by the Edmonton Oilers in the 2014 NHL Entry Draft. The last time a German ice hockey player made the top 20 of the NHL Entry draft was Marcel Goc, way back in 2001.

The moment was even more unique because of the club Draisaitl signed with, the Edmonton Oilers. Based in the Canadian province of Alberta, the Oilers used to be one of the NHL’s top addresses. But the last time they played for the NHL’s biggest prize, the Stanley Cup, was way back in 1990. Simply put, the Oilers have seen better days.

Now, Leon Draisaitl is in Edmonton playing center, trying to help a team which has, in recent times, been beset by underperforming managers and players. This season Edmonton is coming second last in its division, a not too rare occurrence of late.

History in the making

Still, Draisaitl isn’t letting the form of his team get him down. "My goal, my dream is to play in the NHL and be here with the Oilers," Draisaitl told the NHL website after his first few tryout games. "I'm really thankful to still be here and to be given the opportunity."

The son of former German ice hockey player Peter Draisaitl, Leon shone in junior leagues in Germany before moving to the Western Hockey League in Canada in 2012. In his last year of juniors, Draisaitl scored 105 points in 64 games with the Prince Albert Raiders. His point production lead scouts to notice his skills, hockey intelligence and physical presence. His fans quickly compared him to former hockey greats, calling the "German Gretzky" and the "The German Hope," nicknames he tried to play down.

"I'm not Gretzky or anyone like that. I'm just going to work hard and continue to grow," said Draisaitl when he spoke to Yahoo sports in an interview back in 2012. That's a fair comment, after all: Gretzky’s career – which also involved 10 seasons at Edmonton - was unparalleled in NHL history. The "Great One" as he was known, scored 2,857 points in only 1,487 games played.

Fast forward two years from 2012 and Draisaitl was being awarded a three-year, entry level contract with the Oilers. He’s now joined the slim ranks of other German-born players active in the NHL, including Christian Ehrhoff, Dany Heatley, Dennis Seidenberg, Marcel Goc and Thomas Greiss.

It’s tough in the big time

Draisaitl’s first goal for the Oilers came a full eight games into the season on October 24 – a few days before his 19th birthday - against the Carolina Hurricanes. He’s now recently scored his second against the Ottawa Senators too. But while Draisaitl is getting plenty of time on the ice at the struggling Oilers, he isn’t scoring like he used to in the juniors.

It's clear that the transition up to the NHL has been a significant one. While he does have the physical size and skills to succeed in the world's toughest league, the over six foot tall Draisaitl doesn’t stand out any more amongst the players in the NHL.

"You have to make your decisions way quicker, you have to be consistent," Draisaitl said, in an interview with NHL.com. "All four lines in the NHL, if you really think about it, they wouldn’t be here if they were bad hockey players."

"All four lines are really good. It’s a battle every night," he added.

A debate remains on whether the still 19-year-old Draisaitl could perhaps return to junior hockey for a while to further hone his skills, but Oilers coaches and management seem to think he is ready to stay.

"The kid desperately wants to become a factor on the ice and be a great player in this league," Edmonton’s coach Dallas Eakins said recently, when asked about his newest prospect.

"That takes time, perseverance and commitment - and his perseverance and commitment right now are outstanding."