"It taught me so much about how to play the game the right way and how the game is being played in the NHL," he said. "I think I've always kind of been more of a pass-first kind of guy, but I knew early on in my career in the NHL that I had to be a threat to shoot once in a while too. Otherwise, I'm too predictable.
"It's just something that I've worked on constantly during the summer and in-season whenever it was really. It's just something that I've had to put into my game."
An important trait driving Draisaitl's claim to the Art Ross was an overarching understanding of being one individual contributing to something greater than individual accolades; in this case, his dedication to advancing the Oilers organization and hoisting the Stanley Cup.
"I think it's a cool story for myself personally, no question, but we're a team and it is a team sport as I've said so many times," he said. "If we do end up coming back, it's playoff hockey and nothing else matters. I'm proud, but that's really all it is."
Winning and succeeding in the NHL always requires sacrifice, but his separation from McDavid on a line with Bakersfield Condors call-up Kailer Yamamoto and Ryan Nugent-Hopkins at the turn of the new decade felt more like a blessing. However, the Dynamic Duo still found a way to combine for 87 points with the man advantage and sit #1 and #2 in League scoring.
"He gives me nice passes, so that definitely helps me out," joked McDavid on Thursday. "But more team-wise, what he's done for our group has been great. A lot was made of us playing together or not playing together, so it just gave us that kind of different look. He's had a great season and he's helped our team out, and me personally, a tonne."
