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

[crowi]

He does show up in the playoffs, signs a year later, was underpaid for 8 years.

Yet some don't, infact, they suck in the playoffs, were overpaid for the last 5 years and seek for only short term with max $.

I'd rather have this deal.

 

[beowulf]

make ya wonder what McDavid will get.

 

[TheNumber4]

From a romantic point of view, of course this makes sense for the Oilers. That's your 2 in your 1-2 punch, that's a guy you put on the posters, that's an A in your leadership group. Has spent his entire adult life in your organization etc... how can you not?

But from a coldly pragmatic point of view, imagine how much better they could be if they flipped him, like imagine if they were as ruthless about it as Florida. Leon wouldn't be worth 14m on most teams, so why not cash him in at that value? If Huberdeau can land a Tkachuk, one wonders what Draisaitl could have fetched...

There's very few players worth Draisaitl in a Return. And those that would be, probably wouldn't be on the market. So what would Drai return? He wouldn't be the Huberdeau in that comparison, he'd be the Tkachuk. So some overrated player and a good D-man? We'll keep Drai if that's all the return, Drai's playoff prowess is irreplaceable.

 

[Bertuzzzi44]

Draisaitl is a power forward / elite sniper, power forwards usually start declining after 30 whereas smaller skilled players seem to excel in their later years a bit more.

 

[Frank Drebin]

Players might want more because Canada is a miserable place to live, but the taxes have nothing to do with it.

This one hurt ya didn’t it

 

[VainGretzky]

This also probably confirms McDavid, assuming he re-signs, gets at least 16M. Bouchard should end up somewhere around 10M.

So roughly 50M between McDavid, Draisaitl, Bouchard, & Nurse. That'll be fun.

Enjoy your decade of darkness Flames fan

 

[nbwingsfan]

Great for the oilers but good god do they ever need to remove Nurse at any cost.

That contract is going to sink them once McDavid and Bouchard get paid

 

[Janvonpobben]

He's younger than MacKinnon. You think MacKinnon will be out of his prime in 2 years?

Leon will remain in his prime past the halfway point of that contract.

Agreed the Oilers have a 2 year window right now where they can be a cup favourite. All they have to do is make the playoffs in the following years and anything can happen with their core.

They do need to manage their assets better than letting their top young guys walk due to offer sheets

news at 11. Players decline after a certain age.

Funny how people are quick to remind you this for certain players but does not apply to others.

 

[VainGretzky]

Draisaitl is a power forward / elite sniper, power forwards usually start declining after 30 whereas smaller skilled players seem to excel in their later years a bit more.

Joe Thornton was 4th in the league scoring at the age of 37. I am not worried about Drai at all because his game style is too slow the play down , he also has a way better shot than Thornton did

 

[Brent Burns Beard]

The NHL really needs to do away with guaranteed contracts.

Totally agree!

Players should be able to terminate their contracts if they don’t like the location, coach, salary or basically don’t feel like the team is living up to what they thought they were getting when they signed.

 

[Bizz]

The best part about this signing is that Edmonton will be in perpetual cap hell as soon as the Sharks' contention window opens back up.

You can't win Cups when you have 3-4 players eating up more than half your cap space. Just ask Toronto.

 

[nbwingsfan]

Can they remain competitive when 3 players will most likely take 40million of cap space when McDavid and Bouchard re-signs?

If it was just those 3 players then sure.

But add in another $9.5 for a #4/5D in Nurse and it’ll be a struggle.

The best part about this signing is that Edmonton will be in perpetual cap hell as soon as the Sharks' contention window opens back up.

You can't win Cups when you have 3-4 players eating up more than half your cap space. Just ask Toronto.

You can if they actually show up in the playoffs.

That is, and always has been, Torontos problem

 

[LOFIN]

This one hurt ya didn’t it

Not really:

Not a discount. Not overpayment. Fair market value. Exactly where people should've expected him to land.

If I was an Oilers fan, I don't give a shit about the AAV today, just celebrate signing a top-3 forward long term. And would be relieved because surely this indicates that McDavid has every intention of staying as well.

I just have a hard time calling one of the richest deals in the sports history "a steal", no matter how good the player is.

You guys need to understand, that just because a contract isn't "a steal", doesn't mean it's a bad one.

 

[Beukeboom Fan]

Tough to say but I can't imagine it would be much more than what he got, if at all. I don't think he took less for the team but I could be wrong.

I think it should also be noted that Drai is coming off probably the biggest discount contract in the NHL. Not saying he's getting "back-pay" as it were, but also understand the thought process to not give another discount that large.

 

[Frank Drebin]

The best part about this signing is that Edmonton will be in perpetual cap hell as soon as the Sharks' contention window opens back up.

You can't win Cups when you have 3-4 players eating up more than half your cap space. Just ask Toronto.

no one cares about the sharks

 

[Reality Czech]

panarin signed for 11.6 when the cap was 81.5 (14.2%)

Next season when Drai was scheduled to be a ufa, the cap will be about 93m

That 14.2% would be about 13.2

Is a soon to be 30 year old draisatl more or less valuable than a soon to be 28 year old panarin?

Well, Panarin didn't give a discount either clearly but I know teams are pressured to pay their top stars if they want to keep them. Can't really blame the Oilers or Rangers for signing those deals. I just find it interesting that fans expect certain guys to take less for the good of the team but it's hard to argue that Drai took less. Not sure he deserves to be THE highest paid player on the league but I get that he held all the leverage here. But congrats Oilers fans, must feel good to get your 1b stud locked down.

 

[Byron Bitz]

he could've gotten 15 mil on the open market

It would be pretty tough for teams to clear 15 million in cap space.

 

[Reality Czech]

I think it should also be noted that Drai is coming off probably the biggest discount contract in the NHL. Not saying he's getting "back-pay" as it were, but also understand the thought process to not give another discount that large.

That's a very good point. It's tough to ask Drai to take a discount when he's over performed his previous deal so much.

 

[knifer]

The best part about this signing is that Edmonton will be in perpetual cap hell as soon as the Sharks' contention window opens back up.

You can't win Cups when you have 3-4 players eating up more than half your cap space. Just ask Toronto.

Pretty sure theres a massive difference between these players and the losers in TO.

 

[Frank Drebin]

It would be pretty tough for teams to clear 15 million in cap space.

If Drai was heading to UFA I guarantee teams would have made it happen

 

[Bizz]

Pretty sure theres a massive difference between these players and the losers in TO.

the only difference is the extra 23 years of no cups.

 

[ManofSteel55]

This also probably confirms McDavid, assuming he re-signs, gets at least 16M. Bouchard should end up somewhere around 10M.

So roughly 50M between McDavid, Draisaitl, Bouchard, & Nurse. That'll be fun.

I think you should take a look at who your top 4 highest players are, and worry about your own team's "fun".

That's a no from me, Draisaitl might be the best player in the deal, although I'd argue Norris winning D-men are harder to come by.
I'd argue Hughes-Draisaitl is a wash. So JT Miller and Thatcher Demko for Nurse... , Draisaitl does not move the needle enough in what we would be losing, hell I'd even say no if it was McDavid and Nurse.

Uh...no.

 

[notbias]

Well at least you're good with math.

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

He helped his team lose the finals too... what's your point?

 

[CantHaveTkachev]

This also probably confirms McDavid, assuming he re-signs, gets at least 16M. Bouchard should end up somewhere around 10M.

So roughly 50M between McDavid, Draisaitl, Bouchard, & Nurse. That'll be fun.

who wants elite players when you can have cap space instead

 

[Sniper99]

Players might want more because Canada is a miserable place to live, but the taxes have nothing to do with it.

Lived in Canada 42 years. Other than the shitty weather November to March, its not a miserable place to live. Keep diggin.