"Not gonna be anything new": Leon Draisaitl's unwavering response to Oilers having a 'target on their back' after Stanley Cup run 

By ARJUN B

Modified Oct 08, 2024 06:18 GMT

Edmonton Oilers superstar Leon Draisaitl is unfazed by any potential "target on the back" for the team heading into the 2024-25 NHL season. The Oilers are coming off a heartbreaking loss to the Florida Panthers in Game 7 of the Stanley Cup Final last season.

When asked if having a target on their back would be any different than previous years, Draisaitl brushed it off.

"It's not gonna be any different than the years prior, everyone brought their best against us the three years before that as well. So it's not gonna be anything new," Draisaitl said after Monday's practice.

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The Oilers know they will face challenges with every opponent eager to take them down. But Draisaitl believes the team is ready to handle it. Reaching the Stanley Cup Final last season also gave them valuable experience to build on.

When asked if that run gives them perspective on the long grind of a season, Draisaitl said they can't get complacent.

"You don't want to pace yourself through it, because then you're going to find yourself in the situations we were last year. And, you know that's too much work to catch up and find your way back into the picture," he added.

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Leon Draisait will hope the Oilers can kick off the new season with a strong start and bring their A game from the get-go.

Draisaiti scored an impressive 106 points through 41 goals and 65 assists in the regular season, followed by 31 points in the playoffs.

Leon Draisaitl discusses Oilers' preseason performance

Edmonton wrapped up its preseason schedule with a 4-1 loss to the Vancouver Canucks on Friday. This brought the Oilers' preseason record to 3-5-0.

Draisaitl said he personally does not put too much emphasis on preseason results but acknowledged that the team needs to play much better than they showed in the preseason.

"I personally don't put a lot of stock into it, we have to be a lot better than what we've shown, but I think you know it's fair to say that sometimes it's tough going from a Stanley Cup Final Game 7 into a preseason game on a Wednesday night [against the Winnipeg Jets].

How do you think Leon Draisaitl and the Edmonton Oilers will fare next season? can they make the Stanley Cup Final again next season? Let us know your thoughts in the comments section below.