"Was never a big fan": Leon Draisaitl expresses displeasure for Canadian style of dressing

By Abhilasha Aditi

Modified Sep 27, 2024 06:21 GMT

Leon Draisaitl, the German-born Edmonton Oilers star, recently spoke about adjusting to Canadian culture in an Instagram video shared by the NHLPA. While he has embraced many parts of Canadian life, Draisaitl admitted that the local fashion, especially formal wear, was not to his liking.

He mentioned that Canadian style, particularly suits and ties, didn’t meet his expectations, especially during the early years of his career.

"I’ve always… was never the fan a big fan of Canadian styling, I guess, especially when it comes to, tie and suit and tie attire, especially early on in my career, I was not impressed with it," Draisaitl said.

Draisaitl has adapted to other aspects of life in Canada, especially the diverse food options. He appreciated the variety of international restaurants in Canada, saying that it made the transition easier. Still, he missed traditional German dishes like schnitzel. Luckily, Draisaitl found a restaurant in Edmonton, Bistro Praha, that serves schnitzel similar to what he enjoyed in Germany.

Although Leon Draisaitl has grown accustomed to much of Canadian culture, Draisaitl’s sense of style remains tied to his European roots.

Leon Draisaitl committed to being an Oiler for life

On September 3, Leon Draisaitl signed an eight-year, $112 million contract with the Edmonton Oilers. This keeps him with the team until 2032-33. Draisaitl, 28, is in the final season of his previous contract and wants to stay with the Oilers for life. He values playing for Edmonton and was drafted by them in 2014.

"I take great pride in being an Oiler and always obviously wear my heart on my sleeve, but I love nothing more than wearing that jersey and representing our city and our great fans," Draisaitl said (via NHL.com). "I'm really, really excited and happy to hopefully be an Oiler for life."

After a strong playoff run last season, where the Oilers made it to Game 7 of the Stanley Cup Final, Draisaitl feels there's more to accomplish. The team lost to the Florida Panthers, but he remains positive about the upcoming season.

"...I'm excited to be a part of it and excited to keep chipping away at the ultimate goal. We all know what that is," he added.

Stan Bowman, the new Oilers general manager, made extending Draisaitl's contract a priority. Bowman called Draisaitl an irreplaceable player for the team. Draisaitl has been one of the NHL's top players since 2018-19, just behind Connor McDavid in points. His main focus is still winning the Stanley Cup with Edmonton.