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

[Pip]

In the world where he was playing very good in the finals against the champs, better than even Ceci and got offersheeted by the Blues and several other teams that were pursuing him. If you think he sucks or is a bottom pair then what would be the logic for Blues to give him 5 mil per season and other teams wanting to trade for him??

Good luck to stecher replacing him, he didnt even play one game in the playoffs. I guess knob knows better

Stecher was injured? Lol

 

[Dhockey16]

You caught me. I'll give the Oilers next year and then I think it's downhill from there. I just think there is a lot to not like about the oilers. stan bowman, corey perry, evander kane, years of being gifted 1st overall picks while other teams never got the opportunity, a creepy asshole owner, giving Virtanen a PTO, Craig Mctavish, Kevin Lowe etc.

Pretty sure he was acquitted

 

[Soundwave]

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

Top 3 forwards + no.1 D + goalie starter:

McDavid (16) + Draisaitl (14) + Bouchard (11) + Hyman (5.5) + Skinner (5?) = 53% of a 97 million cap in 2 years (projected amount)

Crosby (8.7) + Malkin (9.5) + Letang (7.5) + Kessel (6.8) + MAF (5.5) = 53% of a 71 million cap in 2016 when they won their 1st of back to back Cups.

Probably not impossible. People need to understand 40 mill ain't what it used to be.

 

[TLEH]

Isn't this what most GMs do? If you're not paying your best players who are you gonna pay?

Don’t disagree really. But if Drai really wants to be there then there is a benefit to driving a harder bargain.

 

[GMR]

The irony of that statement is that players who "demand" or leave for large US markets over fame (which I don't think happens often, but if it does) want to be less recognized, not more. I'm sure Connor Bedard can go just about anywhere he wants in Chicago and hardly anyone would have a clue who he is. That's not a slight against Chicago, it's just the way it is. Same with the Rangers in NY, the Kings in LA, and so on and so on.

Bedard hasn’t done anything yet though. I don’t think McDavid, had he played in Chicago all these years, could go anywhere without recognition.

 

[Jack Burton]

Thanks for ruining my day.

 

[AlainVigneaultsGum]

Grats Oil fans!

 

[Master P]

Oh man no way!

https://x.com/i/web/status/1831003034073108749

 

[Rubi]

If that makes you feel better kudos lol We know how hard it is for the Flames to attract any talented UFA

LOL.

 

[TIGERCOOL]

Can’t believe anyone would think this is a bad deal

It's not terrible.. but it's not great. Drai will be 30 when the deal kicks in. That's already (likely) beyond his prime. The oilers will be paying him 14 million per season when he's at retirement age.

Obviously he's worth it for the first 3 or 4 seasons, and a top 10 player in the league right now so you basically had to sign him at whatever cost.

6.5/10 for the oilers and a 10/10 for Leon. Slightly better than Nylander's deal.

 

[MarkusNaslund19]

Top 3 forwards + no.1 D + goalie starter:

McDavid (16) + Draisaitl (14) + Bouchard (11) + Hyman (5.5) + Skinner (5?) = 53% of a 97 million cap in 2 years (projected amount)

Crosby (8.7) + Malkin (9.5) + Letang (7.5) + Kessel (6.8) + MAF (5.5) = 53% of a 71 million cap in 2016 when they won their 1st of back to back Cups.

Probably not impossible. People need to understand 40 mill ain't what it used to be.

Did the Penguins also have Schultz making like 7 million (Nurse) or is this an imperfect comparison?

 

[Regal]

It's not terrible.. but it's not great. Drai will be 30 when the deal kicks in. That's already (likely) beyond his prime. The oilers will be paying him 14 million per season when he's at retirement age.

Obviously he's worth it for the first 3 or 4 seasons, and a top 10 player in the league right now so you basically had to sign him at whatever cost.

6.5/10 for the oilers and a 10/10 for Leon. Slightly better than Nylander's deal.

I imagine Draisaitl will age pretty well. Guys with size, puck protection and passing ability all tend to age well and he has a great shot on top of it. Obviously this isn’t the great signing it would be if he was 25, but I wouldn’t be surprised if he’s still a top 10 center at 35/36.

 

[NotCommitted]

At the time nobody thought Drai took a discount

It’s always easy to look back and say

Yeah he was coming off a 77p in 82gp, which was his career high. $8.5m was a lot of money back then. A non-insignificant amount of people on hfboards thought it was a gross overpay. Some of the comparables used were Barkov ($5.9m) and MacKinnon ($6.5m), though those two signed 1-1.5 years earlier.

Of course all 3 deals ended up ridiculously good value for their teams because all 3 players panned out great. The only "discount" Drai gave was signing long term.

 

[PROUD PAPA]

Nice chunk of change.
I’d say he earned it.

 

[Hattrick Kane]

I wonder what Bouchard comes in at. If he has a massive year and wins the Norris or comes top 3 even, I’d think he’d want to be the highest paid defenseman in the league.

 

[Ugene Magic]

Did the Penguins also have Schultz making like 7 million (Nurse) or is this an imperfect comparison?

Pens cap 2015/16


Also, I find it particularly funny they seem to be able to get out of Nurse's deal unscathed. It just disappears.

 

[ChaoticOrange]

Great day for Edmonton and for Oilers fans.

 

[Oil Spill]

It's not terrible.. but it's not great. Drai will be 30 when the deal kicks in. That's already (likely) beyond his prime. The oilers will be paying him 14 million per season when he's at retirement age.

Obviously he's worth it for the first 3 or 4 seasons, and a top 10 player in the league right now so you basically had to sign him at whatever cost.

6.5/10 for the oilers and a 10/10 for Leon. Slightly better than Nylander's deal.

Lol slightly better, Draisital and Nylander aren't comparable.

 

[Mr Positive]

Yeah he was coming off a 77p in 82gp, which was his career high. $8.5m was a lot of money back then. A non-insignificant amount of people on hfboards thought it was a gross overpay. Some of the comparables used were Barkov ($5.9m) and MacKinnon ($6.5m), though those two signed 1-1.5 years earlier.

Of course all 3 deals ended up ridiculously good value for their teams because all 3 players panned out great. The only "discount" Drai gave was signing long term.

Imo the 8 years did make it a discount. If we would settle for 3 years or whatever the aav could have been low. But we knew he would be better.

Its the same with this deal. Imo the long term does show that it is a discount. Yes Drai also gets security out of the deal but let's just say that us Oiler fans are laughing when people put down the deal because Draisaitl will age badly. Drai is a rare physical specimen that will age well. He is elite and will probably play past this contract even, although of course won't be elite at end. Just like last time, we know this deal isn't nearly the risk that outsiders see it as

He might have signed for 12 million if the deal was a couple years. He's not signing for that after though, when we want years of his where the cap will be rising past 100 million and 16 million aav is common. Fans often balk at the latest expensive contract and compare the value to deals signed years ago.

 

[GreeningOil]

They have Mackinnon/Matthews?

L take. Even in extreme humour

 

[Beau Knows]

I mean it's a high cap hit, but what are you gonna do? You're lucky if a guy like that comes around once every 20 years for your franchise. Pay him and figure the rest out later.

 

[Victor000]

Bedard hasn’t done anything yet though. I don’t think McDavid, had he played in Chicago all these years, could go anywhere without recognition.

I think we both know my comment had nothing to with Bedard being a rookie. I could have just as easily used Nathan MacKinnon, Patrick Kane, hell, probably Stevie Y back in his heyday with the Wings. Meanwhile, someone like Taylor Hall was one of the most recognized people in Edmonton before he ever set foot in the city. That's just the difference between being a high proflile NHLer in Canada vs the US.

 

[GMR]

I think we both know my comment had nothing to with Bedard being a rookie. I could have just as easily used Nathan MacKinnon, Patrick Kane, hell, probably Stevie Y back in his heyday with the Wings. Meanwhile, someone like Taylor Hall was one of the most recognized people in Edmonton before he ever set foot in the city. That's just the difference between being a high proflile NHLer in Canada vs the US.

McDavid is another level from those players though. Not saying he’d be Michael Jordan in Chicago all these years but he’d certainly be more popular than Patrick Kane.

 

[CantHaveTkachev]

They very much are...

let me know when Kaprisov wins an Art Ross or MVP trophy...then we compare

 

[ManByng]

McDavid-Drai have 2-3 years to win a Cup

They have to go all in

They have a lot more time than that !