Today is the special day we all waited so much, the NHL regular season starts with four games: MTL - TOR, BOS - WSH, CGY - VAN and ANA - SJS. But for other teams, the preseason continues and we have the 5th game for today, the Edmonton Oilers against Kölner Haie in Germany.
Draisaitl family waited this day not less than all the other fans waited for the season beginning. That's because father and son will meet at the hockey rink for the first time. Leon Draisaitl, one of the Edmonton offence leaders, is the best German hockey player right now, he was drafted in 2014 the 3rd overall by Oilers and he's Cologne native.
Peter Draisaitl, the father of Leon, is the head coach of the Kölner Haie, and former player of this team. Leon grew up supporting Haie, and he started his way to the NHL in the Kölner hockey school at age six. Every summer he prepares for the new season in Cologne at the training ice of the Kölner Haie. It's home for Leon Draisaitl, and today's game means very much both for son and father. They never played against each other nor Peter never coached teams where his son played. They will meet on the ice for the first time.
Last days Edmonton Oilers prepared for the Global Series game and also explored Cologne with their personal guide Leon, who was happy to be at home and to show his native city to teammates.
Today Oilers plays the last preseason game and on Saturday play in Gothenburg, Sweden in the season-opener against the New Jersey Devils, who already had their exhibition game in Switzerland. On Monday Devils defeated SC Bern and now prepares for the first regular-season game.
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