Bad news for @PARaidersHockey as @DuckMillard breaks the news that @Drat_29 will play in Europe if not with the Oilers. On now at @TSN1260
— Guy Flaming (@TPS_Guy) August 13, 2014Dean Millard, host of The Pipeline Show on TSN 1260 in Edmonton, has learned that Leon Draisaitl has no intentions of playing Jr Hockey next season. Period.
The Oiler prospect will be playing in a men’s league of some sort next season even if the Oilers cant use him. This is an interesting option for the Oilers who could use this as a developmental advantage. Because he was a CHL player he’s too young for the AHL (must be 20 for kids drafted out of the CHL) but he’s a high end prospect, so another year dominating the WHL isn’t necessarily pushing him.
I don’t think another year in PA would have hurt the young man at all, but can we really say it would be “Best…? I don’t think so if there’s an alternative that sees him play in one of the best leagues outside of the NHL. The current agreement between the 3 major North American Leagues works for most prospects, but limits the options for the select few who are at the very high end in skill. For example, it’s the only thing holding Darnell Nurse back from playing Pro next year. Let’s say the Oilers could have sent Sam Gagner to Sweden to play instead of being forced to immediately graduate him to the NHL then perhaps his career would have taken a drastically different path.
All this is probably much ado about nothing because he stands to make the team as it is currently constructed. However, if the Oilers can find a potential 2C via trade or Free Agency (unlikely) then they can feel comfortable that their elite prospect will be playing in an elite league. It’s a flexibility that the Oilers hadn’t previously had. As the club still has Cap space and assets like their 1st Round pick in addition to a growing stable of young Defensemen in the pipeline they may find that they can acquire a Centerman who is able to fill in while young Draisaitl develops along a reasonable path for a prospect of his caliber.
The downside to Draisaitl playing overseas would be that he wouldn’t be playing on North American surfaces and outside of the sphere of influence held by most NHL teams, but this is a kid who is already accustomed to NHL playing surfaces. In some ways the Oilers already played this game with Nail Yakupov, who played in the KHL during the Lockout then came to Canada after it ended. In his time with Neftekhimik he went 22GP 10-8-18 and then launched an NHL campaign that saw him win the Rookie Scoring title. Spending time in Europe can be a good if not great option for the Oilers and Leon Draisaitl.
It’s an interesting opportunity, but it’s clearly Plan B. Draisaitl will make the Edmonton Oilers and he will play with some quality linemates. His European options are pretty doubtful to be used, but it’s nice to have them.
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