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The Edmonton Oilers added a significant dose of size and skill up front by selecting German international player and Prince Albert Raider Leon Draisaitl with the third overall pick at the 2014 NHL Entry Draft.
He's the highest German player selected in a major North American professional sport since the Boston Bruins picked Orest Romashyna third overall in 1963.
Speaking to reporters after the selection, Draisaitl sounded excited to join a team with plenty of young talent.
"The young guys are only getting better and more mature... This is an awesome team to be joining." - Draisaitl pic.twitter.com/DDGKrbvI6X
— Edmonton Oilers (@EdmontonOilers) June 27, 2014
Draisaitl is a heavy, two-way center who has produced points at an impressive rate while logging first-line minutes as a first time draft eligible skater in the WHL.
Draisaitl finished fourth in the WHL in scoring as a first time draft eligible skater this past season and was 14th in the league in goals per game (and third among first time draft eligible skaters, behind only Jake Virtanen and Sam Reinhart). An excellent playmaker, Draisaitl was third in rate of assists per game - behind only Nicolas Petan and Reinhart.
Every time the Oilers talk about Draisaitl, they talk about him being like Anze Kopitar.
— John Shannon (@JSportsnet) June 27, 2014
Beyond his obvious offensive acumen, Draisaitl has repeatedly demonstrated an ability to leverage his mammoth frame to win puck-battles in both ends of the rink. While he'll need to improve his skating to become a first-line player at the NHL level, Draisaitl has all the tools to develop into an excellent two-way centerman.
