- Leon Draisaitl is an NHL star on the Edmonton Oilers
- He wasn't actually born in Canada or the US
- Draisaitl is from the country of Germany
Leon Draisaitl is one of the NHL's top players today. He was league MVP in 2020 and challenges for the scoring lead season after season. Draisaitl does it all for the Edmonton Oilers, based in Alberta, Canada. But where is Leon Draisaitl from?
Edmonton's Leon Draisaitl is from a big city in Germany
Leon Draisaitl is actually from Germany. He was born in the city of Cologne, near Germany's western border with the Netherlands. It's one of Germany's largest cities.
Leon was born in 1995 and his father, Peter Draisaitl, was also a pro hockey player and coach. Leon grew up playing for German teams before moving to Saskatchewan, Canada, for a better shot at making the NHL.
Leon Draisaitl isn't the first NHLer from Germany, but it's already safe to say he is the most accomplished. In 2014, Draisaitl became the highest-drafted German prospect when the Edmonton Oilers selected him third overall.
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And the Oilers made the right pick. Draisaitl quickly became an elite scorer and playmaker. He even won the Hart Memorial Trophy (regular season MVP) and Art Ross Trophy (highest point-scorer) in 2020 — both firsts for a German player.
Leon Draisaitl continues to represent his homeland of Germany in international competitions.
In his personal life, however, Leon found love in Canada. His girlfriend is the Canadian actress Celeste Desjardins.
