Confirmed Signing with Link: [EDM] F Leon Draisaitl signs extension with the Oilers (8 years, $14M AAV; begins 2025-26)

[Kerberos]

They have Mackinnon/Matthews?

Imagine thinking that Matthews has any claim to being a better player than Draisaitl lol.

Mr. Playoff no-show is a borderline top 5 player. And that's being generous.

 

[Byron Bitz]

NHL needs to fix the tax problem in the next CBA or teams in the red states are gonna keep signing players to better contracts than the Canadian teams.

 

[The Gr8 Dane]

Imagine thinking that Matthews has any claim to being a better player than Draisaitl lol.

Mr. Playoff no-show is a borderline top 5 player. And that's being generous.

Delusional , I don't understand how they defend this guy with their lives when he gets clamped every single post season. I'd be ticked off personally

 

[CanadienShark]

That's a lot for a dude who didn't do much in the finals. Obviously a great player but they still gotta sign McDavid

In all fairness, what did Barkov do?

 

[SmytheKing]

Considering that no one, even Oilers fans don't think that Nurse is worth that contract, it isn't a fair comparison.

Yeah but to make the trade you've got to absorb some salary. Hughes and Demko aren't going to get it done because the Oilers don't have that extra space to make it work right now and I'm not sure it's enough alone. So, to match, you add some more on each end.

It's more about "it's a downgrade regardless of what he got in a trade" that I was using that as a quick example of anyway. Hockey isn't basketball where the team who gets the best player wins the trade.

 

[Idiot Stick]

In all fairness, what did Barkov do?

win

 

[ManofSteel55]

I think McDavid, Bouchard and Skinner will resign. But the best way to find quality players for cheap is through the draft and the Oilers have sadly failed at this so far. You can only get so much from free agency and you usually have to overpay to get these guys. Also, your GM hasn't had the greatest track record in the past 8 years. He made quite a few bone head moves.

Roster in 2026-27

Hyman(34) - Mcdavid(29) - TBD
Nuge(35) - Drai(30) - TBD
TBD - Janmark(33) - TBD
TBD - TBD - TBD

TBD - Bouchard(26)
Nurse(31) - TBD
TBD - TBD


Skinner(27)
TBD

I agree with you on our drafting. We've been trading all of our picks away, and missing on our depth picks. Hopefully, with a new regime in the front office, that improves. Trust me, nobody dislikes our new GM as much as Oiler fans do.

 

[Pizza!Pizza!]

24 pages of replies and no one has asked the most important question:

HOW WILL THIS AFFECT THE ISLANDERS???

 

[ManofSteel55]

https://x.com/i/web/status/1830995084885520457

To play devil's advocate here, $14M could buy my loyalty from anyone - even the teams I hate, ha ha ha.

 

[CantHaveTkachev]

To play devil's advocate here, $14M could buy my loyalty from anyone - even the teams I hate, ha ha ha.

he could've gotten 15 mil on the open market

 

[TheKrebsCycle]

So if Draisaitl is worth 14 Millioni,MCSaviour is worth 18-20 Millioni?Salary Cap needs to go up by 20 Millioni over the next couple of years which I see happening

Whatever the max is he’s worth it . But I expect he comes in a bit below that . Say 16 ish , maybe even 15 if he’d being super generous ( but I think he wants to set a clear bar but no explode said bar )

 

[ManofSteel55]

What age is a player's prime usually?

Elite players have to be compared to other elite players. Injuries aside, I think we can expect 100+ point seasons from Draisaitl for at least the next 4 years. After that, as long as his game doesn't completely fall off of a cliff, he will still be a serviceable top line quality player for a couple more years, and then there will be a year or two at the end that could see a fall off. But, if you can lock up a superstar for 8 years, and you think they will be productive for the majority of that contract, you do it.

 

[bert]

~30% of the Oilers cap will be taken up by 2 players next year.

LOL

When its two of the top 5 players in the league including #1 thats perfectly fine.

 

[ManofSteel55]

he could've gotten 15 mil on the open market

I agree. That doesn't change my statement at all though.

 

[bert]

14M Draisaitl
Bouchard will get 10-12M
McDavid 16M+
Nurse 9.5M

Lol at least $50-55M on 4 players.

Wishful thinking on both of these. They obviously will have to find a way to get rid of Nurse, but I dont see any scenario Bouchard gets north of 9.

 

[LTIR]

To play devil's advocate here, $14M could buy my loyalty from anyone - even the teams I hate, ha ha ha.

Don't think that's the case with Draisaitl. He would have gotten 14M per offer from a dozen GMs

I agree. That doesn't change my statement at all though.

You statement implies that your services are worth in millions.
Throw me 1000$ and I will put on a flames jersey.

 

[Frank Drebin]

NHL needs to fix the tax problem in the next CBA or teams in the red states are gonna keep signing players to better contracts than the Canadian teams.

Just to highlight the differences. I know all things arent equal and NHL players dont get paid like regular wage slaves.

In AB Draisatl will clear 7.315m per year

In a no tax state like Texas he would clear about 8.87, a difference of over 1.5m per year.

 

[ManofSteel55]

Quinn Hughes, J.T. Miller, Thatcher Demko for Draisaitl and Nurse. You wouldn't do that deal?

I'm just trying to match salaries. I can't imagine VAN saying yes to this honestly.

Matching salaries, by including a contract we all hate. In terms of pure value, if we were to rank these players, it goes Draisaitl, Hughes, Miller, Demko (he could go above Miller if his injuries are behind him), the gum on the bottom of my shoe, and then Nurse, ha ha.

Don't think that's the case with Draisaitl. He would have gotten 14M per offer from a dozen GMs


You statement implies that your services are worth in millions.
Throw me 1000$ and I will put on a flames jersey.

My statement implies that I was making a joke. Don't look too far into it LTIR.

~30% of the Oilers cap will be taken up by 2 players next year.

LOL

Every GM in the league wishes they had 30% of their cap taken up by two players the caliber of Draisaitl and McDavid.

 

[Beukeboom Fan]

Quinn Hughes, J.T. Miller, Thatcher Demko for Draisaitl and Nurse. You wouldn't do that deal?

I'm just trying to match salaries. I can't imagine VAN saying yes to this honestly.

Canucks would be crazy to do that deal as proposed IMO.

Just to highlight the differences. I know all things arent equal and NHL players dont get paid like regular wage slaves.

In AB Draisatl will clear 7.315m per year

In a no tax state like Texas he would clear about 8.87, a difference of over 1.5m per year.

FD - did you take into account the tax impact of the road games?

 

[LTIR]

I think McDavid, Bouchard and Skinner will resign. But the best way to find quality players for cheap is through the draft and the Oilers have sadly failed at this so far. You can only get so much from free agency and you usually have to overpay to get these guys. Also, your GM hasn't had the greatest track record in the past 8 years. He made quite a few bone head moves.

Roster in 2026-27

Hyman(34) - Mcdavid(29) - TBD
Nuge(35) - Drai(30) - TBD
TBD - Janmark(33) - TBD
TBD - TBD - TBD

TBD - Bouchard(26)
Nurse(31) - TBD
TBD - TBD


Skinner(27)
TBD

Looks pretty good to me. About 40M left to round out the roster. Stay competitive and players will take discounts to play on this team.
OReilly was just drafted in 1st round. Akey in rd 2.
Savoie, Jarventie etc added for future depth options. Ekholm can be signed for cheap #5D option.
Defense needs work for sure but 2026 is long ways away.

 

[Duder54]

Quinn Hughes, J.T. Miller, Thatcher Demko for Draisaitl and Nurse. You wouldn't do that deal?

I'm just trying to match salaries. I can't imagine VAN saying yes to this honestly.

I mean, who wouldn't want to trade for a goalie who's perpetually on the IR?

 

[Coffey]

Quinn Hughes, J.T. Miller, Thatcher Demko for Draisaitl and Nurse. You wouldn't do that deal?

I'm just trying to match salaries. I can't imagine VAN saying yes to this honestly.

Matching salaries doesn't work IRL.
This ain't a video game lol

 

[jackjohnson]

I hope its under 14.

If not, oh well.

Its 14 mil i think he could have gone for 15 but left 8 mil on the table for McDavid. Bouchard will probably sign for 10 mil minimum, there is no way he would make less than Nurse who signed that contract couple of years ago. I see McDavid will sign for 15 mil and if he is feeling genorous he might match drai contract. So that will be about 48 mil minimum for 4 players assuming McDavid takes a discount or they could push to 50 mil combined. Thats more than 50% of cap gone.

 

[Sniper99]

I am just posting facts and people seem to be getting upset.



They have both won zero Stanley Cups.

It's a team award though so I don't judge Draisaitl too harshly here, but he didn't help them.

Well at least you're good with math.

You missed the part where Drai helped lead his team to the finals.

 

[Frank Drebin]

Canucks would be crazy to do that deal as proposed IMO.


FD - did you take into account the tax impact of the road games?

No. So if we are accounting for half of the games being played on the road, the difference would be half of what I posted.