I think Draisaitl will be fine next season, but I see him as a much slower-progressing prospect. I find it really humorous, actually, because the Oilers drafted Draisaitl at least partly because he was viewed as more NHL-ready.
I think Bennett was actually more NHL-ready. Bennett had NHL speed, and just needed to put on a bit more size (which he did in his injury year) to reach the threshold.
Draisaitl's footspeed kept him really low, and though he was heavier and considered to be more built than Bennett, he didn't have nearly enough strength.
I think there is a certain 'threshold' in the NHL.
Size/strength
Skill
Speed
I think as a prospect, you need at least 2 out of 3. Bennett had the speed and the skill, Draisaitl had the size and the skill. However, Draisaitl's was incomplete, as though he had good size, he was severely over-matched in strength and lost a lot of puck battles. Still does, though not as many as his rookie season.
I will be interested to see where Draisaitl's speed and strength are this upcoming season - if he really put in the work, I can see him having a tremendous year for those losers. However, I still put money on Bennett being able to flatten Draisaitl, and not the other way around.
Bennett is very much like that quick, small pitbull that just doesn't stop. Draisaitl is like that big, thick English bulldog that looks a lot more impressive, but is just slower and doesn't have that drive. I know where I put my money on every time (and no, that is just an analogy - people who actually fight dogs should be tossed into a ring with their hands tied behind their backs, and be forced to wear a bullet-ant balaclava for 5 straight days at least, and then covered in honey and locked in a room full of giant asian hornets - yeah, I think of the most messed up stuff).
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