Being an Edmonton Oilers fan is always filled with mixed emotions. Sometimes the team absolutely destroys their opponents, but sometimes they just tend to lose games at close quarters. And recently, in the final five minutes, against the Colorado Avalanche, the Oilers lost the match after Martin Necas secured the game-winning goal for his team at Rogers Place.
Indeed, it was a close one, as the Oilers lost their home game 4-5 to the Avs. However, despite this tough defeat, one of their star forwards reached a certain feat in his career and is now closer to Wayne Gretzky’s franchise record, which is around 36 years old.
So who is this Oilers player? It’s Leon Draisaitl. He has been one of the top forwards in the recent games for the Oilers, securing many top plays that have given the team an advantage over their opponents on the rink. Indeed, the German NHL star has been truly efficient for his team, and the fans just love him for the stints he makes on the ice.
But what’s the record that he closed in? So for the Oilers, according to an X post by Sportsnet Stats, Wayne Gretzky has nine seasons with the team where he scored 40 or more goals, with his last one being the 1987-88 campaign, which was also his final season with the team. The Great One is followed by Jari Kurri with seven seasons, and he was also a teammate with him. However, Draisaitl has made this list with his recent goals against the Avs, as his tally for the season has reached 40.
The German NHL star is the league’s top goal scorer of the season, followed by Toronto Maple Leafs’ William Nylander with 33 goals. And what about his ranking in this franchise record of 40 or more goals in a single campaign? Draisaitl is now third, as he has six seasons with such statistics that just showcase his scoring prowess for the Oilers.
Most 40-goal seasons, Oilers history
Wayne Gretzky 9
Jari Kurri 7
Leon Draisaitl 6 pic.twitter.com/HIaBhWkoOk
— Sportsnet Stats (@SNstats) February 8, 2025
The 29-year-old has been with the team since the 2014 draft and began to play in the 2014-15 season. Draisaitl’s growth as a prominent forward for the team is visible every season. As he has maintained consistency with the goal-scoring factor that he has. With this trajectory, he can also manage to beat Gretzky, as he is committed to the Oilers until the 2032-33 season, after signing a whopping eight-year, $112 million contract with an AAV of $14 million per season. While Draisaitl’s performance has never disappointed the fans, they have called out a certain player recently for their losses.
The Edmonton Oilers fans are not happy with their goalie
Yes, I’m talking about Stuart Skinner. In the Edmonton Oilers’ recent game against the Colorado Avalanche, the goalie had a terrible 75% save percentage, as he was only able to save 9 out of 12 shots on goal. But comparing Skinner’s statistic to his fellow Oilers goaltender Calvin Pickard, who also played at Rogers Place yesterday, he was able to have an 89% save percentage, as he was able to save 17 out of 19 shots on goal.
Now, this is very concerning for Skinner, whose future with the Oilers might look twisty. And how did the fans react to this terrible performance by the goalie? “I’ve been defending Skinner for a while now, but my god, he’s been hot garbage lately.” Indeed, they are frustrated too with the way he has been performing in the recent games.
Skinner signed a three-year, $7.8 million contract with the Oilers back on December 19, 2022, and he will still be with the team for one more season. However, the statistics are completely not helping the goaltender, and when he reaches the end of his contract next year, he might have a lot of trouble securing an extension or even finding a new team in the NHL.
The post Wayne Gretzky’s Record in Danger as Edmonton Oilers Star Nearing His Over 36 Year Old Achievement appeared first on EssentiallySports.