Leon Draisaitl takes a shot at the Maple Leafs ahead of matchup on Saturday night
Edmonton Oilers star Leon Draisaitl shades the Toronto Maple Leafs ahead of their matchup.
Leon Draisaitl had some public choice comments over the Toronto Maple Leafs and a perceived favoritism towards the team.
Not the first to give credit to the idea that the NHL gives a hand to Toronto, or at the very least puts them front and center ahead of the rest of the league, but Draisaitl's comments seem to take things to a new level in displeasure of an apparent bias.
Draisaitl vocally expressed his displeasure with the fact that Toronto is one of the league's most focused-upon players, seemingly go as far to question the league's scheduling as beneficial to the Leafs.
Draisaitl Critiques League On Leafs Benefit
Leon Draisaitl publicly commented on playing against the Toronto Maple Leafs at 7 p.m. Toronto time, 5 p.m. in Edmonton, a time more favorable to the Leafs than Oilers, and one that makes it easier to watch in Toronto vs Edmonton, a time when many are leaving work.
Draisaitl made the comment on Sportsnet during pre-game against the Leafs, calling the start time, "anything for the Leafs".
His comments echo those of his teammate, Oilers superstar Connor McDavid as he was also none too pleased with the time change.
Draisaitl called tonight's matchup as "just another game", showcasing that the game isn't something that has meaning to him as much as highly anticipated with two of the most stacked teams in the NHL squaring up.
It's unclear if Draisaitl was bashing the NHL for it's beneficial starting time for Leafs fans in Toronto and not so for Oilers fans in Edmonton, or if he was critiquing Sportsnet's promotion of the matchup and focusing on the Leafs aspect, or both.
Many have criticized Canadian outlets such as Sportsnet, as well as rival TSN, as being too focused on Leafs coverage as opposed to a balanced spread of news from across all seven of the NHL's Canadian teams.
As well, criticism has also existed in the past that hockey media focuses more on East Coast coverage vs the west, leaving out teams such as Edmonton in constant talking space vs a team like Toronto closer to the nucleus of Canada's sports ecosystem.
Draisaitl wasn't afraid to take a quick snap at what has been viewed as Toronto as a media darling, and Edmonton as a fighter for equal attention in the sports landscape.
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