Draisaitl nets 1,000th point on power play against Penguins

Edmonton Oilers' Zach Hyman (18) celebrates with teammates Leon Draisaitl (29) and Connor McDavid (97) after scoring against the Montreal Canadiens during third period NHL hockey action in Montreal, Sunday, Dec. 14, 2025. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Graham Hughes

PITTSBURGH — Leon Draisaitl became the first German player to reach 1,000 NHL points with an assist in the first period Tuesday night against the Pittsburgh Penguins.

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The Edmonton Oilers centre and captain Connor McDavid set up Zach Hyman for a power-play goal at 11:38. Hyman beat former Oiler netminder Stuart Skinner with a backhand shot.

Draisaitl joined Wayne Gretzky, Connor McDavid, Jari Kurri and Mark Messier as the only players in franchise history to reach the milestone.

He is also the 103rd player to accomplish the feat, and the 21st born outside North America.

The 30-year-old from Cologne took 824 games — with 416 goals and 584 assists — making him the fifth-fastest non-Canada or U.S. player to register 1,000 points behind Peter Stastny (682 games), Kurri (716), Jaromir Jagr (763) and Nikita Kucherov (809).

Drafted by the Oilers third overall in 2014, Draisaitl recorded his first point in his fourth game during the 2014-15 NHL season, notching an assist in a 7-4 loss to the Arizona Coyotes.

He finished his rookie campaign with seven points in 39 games, but soon formed with McDavid the NHL’s most dangerous offensive duo — known as “McDrai.”

Draisaitl swept the NHL awards in 2019-20, winning the Hart Memorial Trophy, the Art Ross Trophy and the Ted Lindsay Award after putting up 43 goals and 67 assists in 71 games.

The six-foot-three, 209-pound centre also posted a career-high 128 points in 80 games during the 2022-23 campaign, and won the Maurice “Rocket” Richard Trophy as the NHL’s goals leader last season with 52 in 71 games.

Draisaitl entered Tuesday’s game with 17 goals and 26 assists in 34 games.

The 1,000 points do not include his prolific playoff production. Draisaitl — who helped the Oilers to the Stanley Cup final the past two seasons — has 52 goals and 89 assists for an impressive 141 points in 96 post-season games.

This report by The Canadian Press was first published Dec. 16, 2025.