Leon Draisaitl is already grinding this summer, and the Oilers are watching his beach runs go viral.
A clip posted Tuesday shows Draisaitl sprinting down a beach, split-screen style, next to Sylvester Stallone's iconic Rocky training scene.
The caption from the account that posted it says his focus is simple. One goal in mind, chasing the Stanley Cup.
Oilers Leon Draisaitl's offseason training has gone full Rocky Balboa.
Beach runs. Hard work. One goal in mind: chasing the Stanley Cup.
He earned it. Draisaitl put up 35 goals and 62 assists for 97 points in 65 games last season, finishing at plus-13.
The power play production alone tells the story. Sixteen goals and 26 assists with the man advantage, numbers that keep Edmonton's top unit lethal.
And in six playoff games, he still managed 10 points on 3 goals and 7 assists before Edmonton's run ended.
Babcock arrives, and Draisaitl's not waiting around
Here's the wrinkle nobody's talking about enough. Mike Babcock takes over as Oilers head coach, hired in June, and first impressions matter.
Beach sprints and Rocky comparisons make for good content. But do they mean anything if the same structural issues that capped Edmonton at 93 points and a 14th overall finish don't get fixed?
That's the tension nobody's addressing. Draisaitl can run every beach in Alberta this summer and it still won't cover for a penalty kill or blue line that needs real answers.
Stan Bowman, Edmonton's GM since 2024, has some work to do this offseason beyond hoping star power papers over the cracks.
Give Draisaitl credit for the work ethic. The video is good theater. Whether it translates into a deeper run under a new coach is a different question entirely.
Edmonton finished 41-30-11 with a plus-13 goal differential, respectable but not the kind of number that screams contender.
Draisaitl's teammates and fans loved the clip. Stallone himself got tagged in it. But viral content and playoff hockey are not the same sport.
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The real test starts when training camp opens under Babcock, and beach runs turn into two-a-days with a coach who's won it all before.
Does Leon Draisaitl's offseason grind actually move the needle for the Oilers next season?
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