Draisaitl gives back to German hometown with hockey equipment

Leon Draisaitl visits his hometown of Cologne, Germany to deliver full sets of hockey equipment to a youth team on Tuesday, July 8, 2025. (Facebook/Kölner Haie)

A program of young hockey players in Cologne, Germany is going to be decked out in all-new equipment after Leon Draisaitl of the Edmonton Oilers paid it forward to his hometown.

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The forward and alternate captain donated 29 complete sets of equipment to the youth player program at Kölner Haie, called the Junghaie, or “baby sharks.” Draisaitl wears jersey number 29 for the Oilers.

The gift comes from Draisaitl in collaboration with the National Hockey League Players’ Association (NHLPA) Goals and Dreams.

A release on the NHLPA website said 58 full sets of equipment will eventually be donated to the Junghaie over the 2025-26 and 2026-27 seasons.

In a post on Facebook, Kölner Haie thanked both the NHLPA and Draisaitl for the recognition of their youth outreach.

According to the NHLPA media release, the Kölner Junghaie is the only minor or junior hockey program in Cologne and hosts almost 300 players aged four to 20.