Not really a surprise, it is now official that Leon Draisaitl will be joining Connor McDavid at this season’s All-Star game. It was announced on Saturday that Draisaitl was among five other names to be listed by the NHL as fan votes, with seven more spots still up for grabs.
Among the names listed alongside Draisaitl were Cale Makar and Alexander Georgiev of the Colorado Avalanche, Sergei Bobrovsky of the Florida Panthers, and Jeremy Swayman of the Boston Bruins.
Draisaitl and Makar are not surprising selections. While the three goaltenders might come as a bit of a shock, it is important to remember that many of the 12 spots left open for selection needed to go to netminders as only a couple goalies had been selected by the NHL.
With only seven spots remaining, both Zach Hyman and Evan Bouchard are going to be in rough to make it this season. Even William Nylander didn’t get chosen among the five players who got in.
Draisaitl Deserves to Go for the Oilers
Draisaitl has consistently stood out as one of the league’s premier goal-scorers, and there’s a strong likelihood that he will maintain his impressive scoring pace from the past few seasons. Already at 19 goals and 43 points in 38 games this season, he’s well on his way to another season of between 90-100 points. He is doing a lot of that without playing on a line with Connor McDavid this season.
Currently in his prime, he has demonstrated exceptional durability, staying healthy while playing alongside elite-level talent. Over the last four seasons, he has arguably been the second-best player in the NHL. With such a track record, it seemed unreasonable for him not to be in the All-Star mix.
Whether he plays on the same line as McDavid at the game remains to be seen.