Leon Draisaitl's Milestone Cements His MVP Case
What is an MVP?
It's easy to get into semantic arguments about the nature of MVP trophies. What makes a player valuable? Is that different from being "most valuable to his team"? Do a player's surroundings and team quality make a difference?
Bookmark The Hockey News Edmonton Oilers team site to never miss the latest news, game-day coverage, and more.
Here's the thing: it doesn't matter. Any way you slice it, however you conceive of the MVP conversation, Edmonton Oilers forward Leon Draisaitl is the NHL's most valuable player this year.
With his overtime winner on Friday night, Draisaitl hit the 100-point plateau for the fourth consecutive year and the sixth time in his career. He's just two points behind Nathan MacKinnon for the league lead, and his 49 goals are a whopping 13(!) ahead of second-place William Nylander. That would be the biggest lead any player has had in the goal-scoring race since 1999-00.
Even as the Oilers have struggled recently, Draisaitl is riding a 17-game point streak, during which he's scored 14 goals and 26 points. He leads the league with 10 game-winning goals, and tied the NHL record for overtime goals in a season on Friday with five.
That's the traditional argument for Draisaitl as MVP. Nobody in the league has been more dominant, or more clutch, regardless of what's going on around him. He just keeps ticking.
Trending Oilers Articles
Oilers Key Player Grades: Offense Disappoints Against Devils
Revamped Oilers Blueline Could Be Best In The League
Oilers' Samuel Jonsson Named Goalie Of The Year
Oilers Had Matthew Tkachuk Convinced They Were Drafting Him
Oilers Game Schedule For March 2025EDMONTON -- It's trade deadline month.
If you want some more substance, how about this: Draisaitl has MacKinnon beat in primary points (77 to 73), even-strength points (70 to 69), points per 60 minutes (4.2 to 3.99) and non-empty net points (96 to 89--Draisaitl is infamous for his apparent inability to score on an empty net).
Draisaitl also leads all MVP candidates in on-ice goals share (69.4%), as well as expected goals share (66%). With Draisaitl on the ice, the Oilers are generating 5.09 goals per 60 minutes while allowing only 2.62. He has the best xG differential in the league this season, at 58.7.
The Athletic's model pegs him as the best player in the league this season, with a net rating of +30, including an elite +6 defensive rating. He's also the league leader in Goals Above Replacement, according to Evolving Hockey. If anything, the analytical argument for Draisaitl is even stronger than the traditional one.
Finally, we get to maybe the most consequential facet of the MVP debate: narrative.
Narrative rules all MVP debates. It's how Nathan MacKinnon was robbed of his first Hart Trophy by Taylor Hall in 2017-18, and it's how he finally captured it last season. We're watching it in the NBA right now, where Nikola Jokic fatigue might rob the superstar of another well-deserved MVP. Don't even get me started on baseball.
The Oilers have looked shaky for long stretches this season. Their scoring depth is essentially non-existent, especially on Draisaitl's line. Connor McDavid has missed time due to injury and suspension, and hasn't looked quite himself at times.
But Draisaitl hasn't slowed down a bit; to these eyes, he's been the best player on the ice every night, all season long. Without Draisaitl, the Oilers would be in very dire straits, McDavid notwithstanding.
That's not to say that the Colorado Avalanche would be fine without Nathan MacKinnon; they obviously wouldn't, he's Nathan MacKinnon. But Draisaitl has stepped up and found another level when his team needed him most, dominating as a do-it-all workhorse night in, night out.
And he's doing this with precious little help--he's scored more goals (9) since the 4 Nations break than all of his wingers combined (8). While MacKinnon has had Cale Makar and either Mikko Rantanen or Martin Necas, Draisaitl has done much of this next to Vasily Podkolzin and a much-diminished Viktor Arvidsson.
If anything, Draisaitl's biggest competition should be Connor Hellebuyck, who is doing frankly ridiculous things in net for the Winnipeg Jets as they challenge for the President's Trophy.
It's not a landslide, and there's still one crucial month left in the season. But standing at 100 points, with 50 goals on the way, it's hard not to see Leon Draisaitl as the NHL's most valuable player this season.
-
Nuggets' Nikola Jokić says he's 'playing the best basketball' of his life as Michael Malone makes his MVP case
Jokić said that if he doesn't win his fourth MVP award, OKC's Shai Gilgeous-Alexander 'deserves it'CBS Sports - 4d -
Nikola Jokić is putting up record numbers. So why is he unlikely to be NBA MVP?
The three-time MVP has a strong case to win his fourth award. But that is to ignore the brilliance – and freshness – of Shai Gilgeous-Alexander. On Sunday afternoon, two of the best teams in the ...The Guardian - 5d -
Iowa Basketball Conference MVPs: Northeast Iowa
Iowa Preps names our conference MVPs in each age group for the basketball season now! SUBSCRIBERS: CLICK HERE TO READ THE ENTIRE ARTICLE!----------------------- What other coverage am I ...Yahoo Sports - 9h -
Chris Paul believes Shai Gilgeous-Alexander should win the MVP award
Chris Paul believes Shai Gilgeous-Alexander should win the MVP award.Yahoo Sports - 1d -
Shai Gilgeous-Alexander vs. Nikola Jokić: Who's the MVP?
The race for the NBA's Most Valuable Player award is awfully close. Let's break down the case for each candidate.Yahoo Sports - 5d -
Why this MVP race is actually fun and a Celtics-Cavaliers classic seems inevitable
Nobody can deny we are witnessing one of the great MVP races in modern history.Yahoo Sports - 4d -
Islanders force overtime but fall to Oilers, 2-1
Leon Draisaitl scored his second goal of the night on a breakaway 3:52 into overtime, and the Edmonton Oilers beat the New York Islanders 2-1 on Friday night.Yahoo Sports - 1d -
Shai Gilgeous-Alexander shines in win over Nikola Jokic, and history suggests that could matter in his MVP bid
Gilgeous-Alexander scored 40 points on SundayCBS Sports - 6d -
NBA MVP odds: Nikola Jokić's historic night gives Nuggets star big boost in race against Shai Gilgeous-Alexander
Jokić's 30-20-20 game cut Gilgeous-Alexander's lead in the MVP odds.Yahoo Sports - Mar. 8
More from Yahoo Sports
-
Chawinga and Current dominate early in 3-1 win over Thorns
Reigning MVP Temwa Chawinga scored on her first shot of the new National Women’s Soccer League season and the Kansas City Current defeated the Portland Thorns 3-1 on Saturday. The other three NWSL ...Yahoo Sports - 10m -
Onni Valakari scores first career goal in MLS for San Diego in 1-1 tie with Crew
Onni Valakari scored San Diego FC's first-ever goal at Snapdragon Stadium on Saturday night in a 1-1 tie with the Columbus Crew. Valakari flicked a header off a corner kick played in by Luca de la ...Yahoo Sports - 14m -
Pettersson, Garland, Suter lead Canucks to 6-2 win over Blackhawks
Elias Pettersson had a goal and an assist as the Vancouver Canucks beat the Chicago Blackhawks 6-2 on Saturday night. Conor Garland and Pius Suter also each had a goal and an assist, and Quin ...Yahoo Sports - 16m -
F1 Australian GP LIVE: Race updates after Max Verstappen makes mistake and Lando Norris leads
Follow updates from the first race of the season as Hamilton starts down the order with Lando Norris on poleYahoo Sports - 18m -
Harris and Bassett each score a goal, Steffen has 12 saves as Rapids beat Earthquakes 2-1
Calvin Harris and Cole Bassett each scored a goal, Zack Steffen had a career-high 12 saves and the Colorado Rapids beat the San Jose Earthquakes 2-1 on Saturday night. Harris and Omir Fernández ...Yahoo Sports - 25m
More in Sports
-
Knicks' frustration boils over as Tom Thibodeau and Josh Hart get into heated exchange during loss to Warriors
New York has lost four of six and has the third-worst offense since the All-Star breakCBS Sports - 2m -
2025 March Madness: Conference tournament scores, automatic bids, tickets punched to Big Dance, brackets
With Selection Sunday here, check out the the teams who have earned AQ bids to the NCAA TournamentCBS Sports - 3m -
Chawinga and Current dominate early in 3-1 win over Thorns
Reigning MVP Temwa Chawinga scored on her first shot of the new National Women’s Soccer League season and the Kansas City Current defeated the Portland Thorns 3-1 on Saturday. The other three NWSL ...Yahoo Sports - 10m -
Onni Valakari scores first career goal in MLS for San Diego in 1-1 tie with Crew
Onni Valakari scored San Diego FC's first-ever goal at Snapdragon Stadium on Saturday night in a 1-1 tie with the Columbus Crew. Valakari flicked a header off a corner kick played in by Luca de la ...Yahoo Sports - 14m -
Pettersson, Garland, Suter lead Canucks to 6-2 win over Blackhawks
Elias Pettersson had a goal and an assist as the Vancouver Canucks beat the Chicago Blackhawks 6-2 on Saturday night. Conor Garland and Pius Suter also each had a goal and an assist, and Quin ...Yahoo Sports - 16m