Leon and father Peter relish 'once-in-a-lifetime' opportunity

COLOGNE, GERMANY -- Wednesday's game will be a historic one for the Edmonton Oilers organization but for one of its top players, it'll be much more than that.
"This is probably a once-in-a-lifetime event for me and my family," said Oilers centre Leon Draisaitl.
"When I heard about this, I was very excited. As a kid growing up, that's probably the last thing you'd ever imagine as a possible thing. To be in my hometown and see my family and friends, it'll be a great event."
What makes it once-in-a-lifetime for Draisaitl is not only being able to wear an NHL uniform in the town he was born and grew up in, but also being able to play against his father Peter Draisaitl, who will be manning the bench on the other side.

"It's going to be weird," said Peter Draisaitl. "I'm looking forward to it, but I'm telling you right now I (will be) glad when it's over, (he can) go to Sweden and I'll be glad when it's over here. I don't need it twice. Once, it will be great for everyone involved."
Oilers captain Connor McDavid added that it was great for the entire team to see Leon in his element, as a hometown player and also a local tour guide.
"It's great for his hometown to see him with his NHL team. It'll be a once-in-a-lifetime experience for all of them," McDavid began. "He's happy, he's excited. You can just tell, just like anyone would be. He's done a great job so far touring us around.

"Everyone's asked him a bunch of stuff about the city and the team we're playing. He's probably sick of the questions (by now)."
Oilers head coach Todd McLellan said that he chatted with Leon early in the summer to try and pinpoint opportunities for sight seeing and team building for this October trip.
"There were a number of phone calls about team building opportunities, where are we going to eat," McLellan noted. "We left a lot of those decisions up to Leon as we should. As I mentioned back in Edmonton, it's a really unique situation for these European players. Their friends and family do get to come over and watch them play but this is different. We're coming to their world and their environment. It's special for them."
McLellan then joked that Draisaitl should spill some information about the Cologne Sharks -- a team not only coached by his father but also one he skates with starting around August 1 prior to departing for the Oilers camp in Edmonton.
"I think Leon and I should go for lunch and he should share the pre-scout. I already told him, if he screws this one up, he's in trouble," McLellan joked. "He should know all the tricks and the traits. But in all seriousness, he has a big smile on his face. He's happy to be here. He's got a big smile on his face, he's proud of his father and all the help that he gave him growing up."

Peter Draisaitl was asked if he and Leon talk a lot about hockey these days and he said that the hockey talk has dissipated as his son has gotten older and more established as a top NHL player.
"There was times when he was a lot younger we'd talk about the game but since the last couple years we don't talk about hockey that much anymore."
But with that said, he also added that he has never missed watching a game of Leon's ever since he started playing with the WHL's Prince Albert Raiders.
"It's really weird sometimes. I never miss one Oilers game since he's been in Edmonton but I hate to see the games live. I'll see the box scores and see that everything is good then I'll watch it, without the commercials."
Leon doesn't get a chance to see many Cologne Sharks games, but he will follow the club as best he can and talk about the team to anyone who will listen.
"He's proud of his dad's team. A lot of the players and coaches are interested in what's going on there," noted McLellan.
"It's a unique situation for something like that to happen. I'm sure both the Draisaitls are going have a real good game (Wednesday)."