Why would only 25-32 draft range teams want to trade for him? I’m sure LA would be in on it. I’m sure the trading team would only trade for him if he agrees to resign so it wouldn’t exactly be a rental.
I have no idea what he could bring back in a trade but he would be a franchise changer. What would a team like LA give to go from wild card team to contender? Or Boston who struggles getting it done in the playoffs locking down one of the best to do it come post season?
Anyways again he’s signing so I guess we will never know!
I fully agree that he is signing so this threat is very hypothetical in my mind. But in the very unlikely event that he would not Draisaitl's NMC with a 10 team trade list pretty much means that he chooses where he would go.
The last thing the Oilers should do is to trade Draisaitl for a mediocre return that eats up cap. For a trade to make sense it has to keep the window as open as possible this year and not handicap the team from making up any lost ground next year or you risk having McDavid leave as well.
If he is choosing to leave it would not be for money since the Oilers can clearly give him as much as anyone else and can add the extra year. So it would have to be for either a chance to win or lifestyle. If it is lifestyle, then who knows where he wants to be. If it is a chance to win then it would almost surely have to be a current contender or a team that is at least close. If not then once you subtract the value that Leon would get back he is starting over again.
Lets look at LA and Boston:
LA: For this to make sense for the Oilers for an essentially signed Draisaitl. (Without the promise he would sign I don't see a deal from LA as they have very little cap space as is and beyond Clarke, their futures are not worth much.) I think the deal would be Byfield and Clarke. Maybe Kempe and Clarke. Otherwise, you are stepping back too far from the Oilers perspective and I think the Oilers just ride it out. If they made either deal, LA has at the very best a 1-2 year window as a contender. And even at that I'd say their chances would still be as a very long shot. And I doubt LA would make this deal anyway.
Boston: Again, I don't see Boston going the rental route or it would be one shot and done. They would need to know Draisaitl was signing. After Boston signs Swayman they will also be right up at the cap or very close to it so again it would be a money in money out sort of deal. Assuming Swayman is off the table the only player on the Bruins that would make a whole lot of sense is McAvoy. Though I could see the trying something like Carlo and Zacha. But like LA Boston has an aging core. I think they are in better shape to make this deal than LA as they might be able to contend for longer.