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"That hurt a lot": Leon Draisaitl talks about viral devastated Edmonton Oilers locker room clip
Edmonton Oilers superstar center Leon Draisaitl commented on a viral video showing a devastated Oilers team following their Game 7 loss to the Florida Panthers in last season's Stanley Cup Final.
Sportsnet quoted Leon Draisaitl as saying:
“That hurt a lot.”
The comments underscore the overall feeling in the Edmonton Oilers locker room when their playoffs ended. Draisaitl said:
“It was tough to watch again, because I remember living that moment in real life. And I remember the pictures that I have in my head, seeing all the guys,” Draisaitl added.
“Just how much care there is in the room and how much love and care we put into each other to get to that point. And then obviously the disappointment was... tough to watch."
The sting didn’t wear off during the offseason. Nevertheless, Leon Draisaitl and his teammates are ready to move on, looking ahead to next season. Draisaitl said:
"Hockey players are just, in a way, wired that way, right? They always look ahead. We're always like, 'OK, like we didn't get it done. Next season is our next chance.'”
Indeed, the Oilers have another season ahead of them, but Leon Draisaitl expects to stop the pain of losing last year’s Cup Final with a win, adding:
“It's never going to go away until you actually win, I think.”
The Oilers enter the upcoming season with one of the best chances to win the Cup. With a new contract extension signed and sealed, Draisaitl can now focus on the business of winning a championship.
Leon Draisaitl looking to give back to the community
Draisaitl signed a massive contract extension this offseason worth $112 million. Despite getting the biggest contract in the salary cap era, Leon Draisaitl understands that giving back to the community is crucial.
Draisaitl underscored this responsibility as he said:
“It’s my time now to give that back in a way, right? I’m aware of my responsibility."
The comments reported by Sportsnet came in response to questions by insiders Elliotte Friedman and Kyle Bukauskas. Draisaitl expanded on his comment:
“It's a responsibility to the city and the people of Edmonton more so than anything. They support us. Their hearts are in it. They want us to win, and we want to be the guys that bring it back to them and bring that joy back into their life.”
The city of Edmonton and Oilers fans have invested more than $112 million to keep Draisaitl at home. Fans and the city have invested their time, energy and enthusiasm to ensure that Draisaitl feels wanted in Edmonton.
Draisaitl punctuated his desire to stay in Edmonton by saying:
“It's something that I take great pride in, putting that jersey on every night.”
Oilers fans expect to see Draisaitl put on that Oilers jersey for the next decade or so.
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