The Top Five Centermen In Edmonton Oilers History

4. Leon Draisaitl

While it was impossible to know at the time, the third overall pick the Oilers had at the 2014 NHL Entry Draft turned out to be miles more valuable than any of the three first overall picks they had from 2010-2012. After selecting Leon Draisaitl with that said pick, Edmonton management made the decision to keep him up with the big club that very next fall. That turned out to be a mistake as he had just two goals and nine points in 37 contests before being sent back to the Western Hockey League.

Thankfully, those struggles turned out to be very short-lived, as Draisaitl recorded 51 points in Edmonton the very next season and looked every bit like the player both the fans and organization had hoped for. As it turns out, that was only the beginning. The 25-year-old is now regarded as one of the game’s elite talents and already has both a Hart and Art Ross Trophy, as well as a Ted Lindsay Award, under his belt.

Through 478 career NHL games, Draisaitl has scored 199 goals and 506 points. His totals in the past two seasons of 74 goals and 194 points in just 127 games prove just how dominant he has become. Expect more of the same from the German-born center in years to come.