Connor McDavid drops 1-word reaction as Leon Draisaitl becomes the first German in NHL history to reach 400-goal milestone

Edmonton Oilers star Leon Draisaitl became the first German player to reach the 400-goal milestone in the NHL. The forward hit the mark in the second period of the Oilers’ season opener against the Calgary Flames, burying a power-play goal off a slick backhand cross-crease feed from David Tomasek on Wednesday night.

The goal which came at 8:32 of the frame briefly gave Edmonton a 3-0 lead before the Flames stormed back to hand the Oilers a 4-3 defeat in an eight-round shootout. Draisaitl finished the night with a goal, an assist and six shots on target, while also delivering Edmonton’s only marker in the shootout.

Oilers captain Connor McDavid made sure to celebrate the moment on social media. Posting a graphic celebrating the achievement on his Instagram stories, McDavid wrote:

“LEO! 👏👏”

via Instagram /@mcdavid97

The milestone puts Draisaitl in rare company. At 29 years old, he became the 111th player in league history to reach 400 goals, doing so in his 791st career game. He now sits at 400 goals and 558 assists for 958 points across his regular-season career.

Coming off another dominant campaign in 2024-25 in which he racked up 52 goals and 54 assists for 106 points in 71 games, Draisaitl added another trophy to his resume by claiming the Rocket Richard as the league’s top goal scorer. He also followed that up with 33 points in 22 playoff games.

Draisaitl has already set milestones for his countrymen, becoming the first German to win the Art Ross, Hart Trophy and Ted Lindsay Award earlier in his career.

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Leon Draisaitl opens up on Connor McDavid’s hometown discount in Oilers extension

Earlier this week, Leon Draisaitl shared his thoughts on longtime teammate and close friend Connor McDavid’s recent contract extension earlier this week.

The Oilers center agreed to a two-year, $25 million deal on Monday preserving the same cap hit as his current eight-year contract which expires at the end of this season. Following Tuesday’s practice, Draisaitl spoke to the media about what McDavid’s decision means for the team.

“So, you know, getting the chance to, you know, chase it down for three more years at least, you know, is obviously amazing,” Draisaitl said.

He added that McDavid’s hometown discount helped the team comfortably accommodate Draisaitl’s own $14 million cap hit, which begins this season and runs through the next eight years.

Draisaitl also mentioned the significance of keeping the Oilers’ core intact.

“It shows that he wants to win. He’s our captain. He’s our leader. He’s our go-to guy. He’s irreplaceable. It’s a great feeling for all of us to have him for three more [years].”

The move gives the Oilers a window to compete for at least one championship with their current core which also features talents like Evan Bouchard.