After the end of the Tokyo Summer Games, the focus is already on the 2022 Winter Games in Beijing. With one big question for the ice hockey tournament: Will the NHL players be there? On the sidelines of a meeting with his new partner PUMA, superstar Leon Dressital revealed in an interview spokesWhat will the partnership mean for him and what does he believe in the DEB team.
The 25-year-old also talks about the positive developments in German ice hockey and explains what changes to the Edmonton Oilers if the team wants to attack the Stanley Cup in the next few years.
Draisitl, who won the Hart Trophy as the most valuable player in the NHL at a young age and one of the best in the world, reflects on his successful career to date.
Mr. Drisette, the Tokyo Olympic Games have come to an end. How much did you cheer in front of the television?
Leon Draisitl: Very beautiful. I know Alexander Zverev very well, we are good friends and I was really happy about his gold medal. It was a big story for him personally, but also for German sports. Like many other great successes of German athletes, you are excited and always like to see what is happening in Tokyo.
You can even be in the Olympics next year. It is still uncertain, but there is still some indication that NHL players will return to the game in Beijing.
Draisaitl: Being in Beijing would mean a lot to me. This is the biggest thing you can achieve as an athlete. The same goes for us NHL players as well as other athletes, no one thinks otherwise, everyone wants to go to the Olympics. I very much hope that this will actually happen and a settlement will be reached. I will be very happy, it will definitely be very special for me.
Your father was already in the Olympics.
Draisaitl: (laughs) And the fine didn't go to Albertville. Of course, I also have this connection with winter sports, when I was 6 years old. But I also remember very well Sydney Crosby's gold goal for Canada against USA in Vancouver, it was amazing. In general, ice hockey is very important in winter sports. Every fan wants the best players in the world to compete with each other there. Especially in ice hockey, these were always special tournaments.
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In the last Olympic tournament, Germany only missed out on the gold sensation in ice hockey. Now all teams come with all stars. But Germany has taken a step forward. what is possible?
Draisaitl: We don't need to hide from anyone in the world anymore, we can say with so much confidence. We'll have a very, very good team with a lot of NHL players just like any other country. Hopefully we'll be able to present a few favorites. Will this be enough to make it silver again, I'll leave it open. But we are flying safely to Beijing to try to achieve something special. German ice hockey is getting better from year to year, with more and more players knocking on the doors of the NHL. I would like it to continue like this over the next few years and we will still be close to the top of the world.
Leon Dressital: "There's still a lot where I can improve"
You are 25 years old and you are undoubtedly one of the best players in the world, winning the Hart Trophy 2020 as the Most Valuable Player in the league was an expression of that. How do you see your career so far?
Draisaitl: Of course I am proud of what I have already achieved. My goal has always been to be one of the best players in the world. It's good to get confirmation, but still I'm cautious. One should never rest. 25 is still relatively young, there is still a lot I can do better. This summer I'll be working on my full game again because I know I can go even better in every aspect. I want to be better everywhere so that I can also achieve the goals that I have set myself for the next few years. Tops to win the Stanley Cup.
His regular season with the Oilers was strong, only to experience a bitter disappointment in the playoffs against Winnipeg. what was it?
Draisaitl: It was an odd series against the Jets. I don't like to talk about bad luck in the game, but it was also really in the series that we lacked a bit of luck. We never scored at the right time, which hurts us a lot. And we also made mistakes, both personally and systematically. But I believe it will make us even stronger. The experience was bitter, but now we know very well which mistakes cannot be made in the coming season. This will help us.
The team was also prominently strengthened with Duncan Keith or Zach Hyman.
Draisaitl: Whatever the case, the summer commitments made us a better team and the team has been strengthened. Now it is up to us players. We have to put the team that succeeds in ice hockey on the ice next season. We want to attack the Stanley Cup. It doesn't have to happen immediately next season, I don't want to put that pressure on us, but in the next few years we want to be on top of the season at the end - that's clear.
