Edmonton Oilers’ center Leon Draisaitl achieved a significant milestone, becoming the fourth-fastest active NHL player to reach 1,000 career points during a 6-4 victory against the Pittsburgh Penguins.
In the first period, Draisaitl contributed with a secondary assist on Zach Hyman’s power-play goal at 11:38. The play involved a pass from Draisaitl to Connor McDavid, who set up Hyman for a goal past Penguins’ goaltender Stuart Skinner.
Reflecting on his accomplishment, Draisaitl acknowledged the collective effort behind his success, stating, “It was a lot of hard work and a lot of people that helped along the way.”
Skinner, formerly Draisaitl’s teammate before being traded to Pittsburgh, expressed mixed feelings about conceding the milestone point, saying, “Whenever anyone gets 1,000 points, you’re going to congratulate them, but I would’ve rather it not be on me.”
Following the goal, the Oilers’ bench celebrated with Draisaitl, who swiftly scored his 1,001st point just 14 seconds later on a goal by McDavid. Ending the game with four assists, Draisaitl’s career stats now stand at 416 goals and 587 assists in 824 games. He and McDavid also set a milestone, assisting on a goal together for the 136th time, surpassing a record held by Paul Coffey and Wayne Gretzky.
McDavid praised Draisaitl’s exceptional skill, stating, “He’s a special player. He does it every year on both sides of the rink. It’s not surprising for him to reach this accomplishment and reach it so quickly with so many great years ahead of him.”
Draisaitl, the third overall pick in the 2014 NHL Entry Draft, made history as the 103rd player, the first German-born player, and the fifth in franchise history to achieve 1,000 points. As a four-time 50-goal scorer, he has been instrumental in Edmonton’s recent Stanley Cup final appearances.
Reflecting on his journey from Germany to NHL stardom, Draisaitl expressed gratitude, saying, “Growing up in Germany, it seems like it was a long ways. It was surely just a dream. Just super grateful, super thankful and of course a little proud.”
