Leon Draisaitl Hits 1,000 Points, Shines Alongside McDavid

Edmonton Oilers superstar Leon Draisaitl continues to prove why he’s one of the NHL’s elite. On Tuesday in Pittsburgh, while fans might have expected a showdown between Connor McDavid and Sidney Crosby or goalies Stuart Skinner and Tristan Jarry to steal the spotlight, Draisaitl reminded everyone of his immense value.

The German forward tallied four assists in a 6-4 victory over the Penguins, marking a milestone few achieve—1,000 NHL career points. This impressive feat places him as only the 103rd player in league history to reach such heights.

“First and foremost, as a player he’s a special player, you can’t say enough good things,” McDavid said of his teammate. “He does it every year, both sides of the rink. This is a special accomplishment, and for him to get there so fast, with so many great years ahead of him, you can’t say enough good things.”

Draisaitl reached the milestone early in the first period, assisting on Zach Hyman’s power-play goal at 11:38. The Oilers immediately celebrated, emptying the bench to honor one of the most consistent and durable players in the league.

The 2014 third-overall draft pick has proven his elite status over his first ten full seasons, recording four 50-goal campaigns and six 100-point seasons. “It’s really special, it’s a dream that was really far away at some points,” Draisaitl said. “A lot of hard work, a lot of people who helped along the way. These accomplishments are always directed at the single player, but there are so many people who play such a big a part in it. I’m super grateful, thankful and a little proud.”

Draisaitl now holds the record as the highest-scoring German-born player in NHL history, surpassing Marco Sturm’s 487 points. He also ranks as the fifth-fastest Oiler to reach 1,000 points, behind legends like Wayne Gretzky, McDavid, Jari Kurri, and Mark Messier. For non-North American players, he joins an elite group that includes Peter Stastny, Kurri, Jaromir Jagr, and Nikita Kucherov.

With McDavid and Draisaitl forming one of hockey’s most dynamic duos, Edmonton fans are reminded every night what a luxury it is to witness two of the world’s best players on the same team.