After months of hypothesis, Leon Draisaitl has lastly signed an extension with the Edmonton Oilers. Introduced early Tuesday morning, the Oilers and Draisaitl agreed on an eight-year contract value $14 million yearly, making it the biggest contract in NHL historical past. This extension retains a bonafide celebrity in Edmonton for the remainder of his profession.
It additionally will increase the chance that Connor McDavid and Evan Bouchard will prolong with the Oilers. After a robust few seasons showcasing his offensive dominance, Draisaitl cashed in on his worth. With that, right here’s a deeper have a look at his new contract.
Draisaitl Might Have Earned Extra
Some instantly assumed that Draisaitl didn’t take the team-friendly deal everybody had hoped for. Nonetheless, if he had hit the open market subsequent summer time, I do know he would have been capable of get north of $16 million yearly. Whereas the quantity the 2 sides agreed on remains to be a ton of cash, it’s an excellent value and can profit the Oilers. It proves they nonetheless need to contend now whereas additionally displaying their different stars that they’re dedicated to long-term success.
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Draisaitl would have had any workforce that might afford him make him a suggestion subsequent summer time, so who is aware of how excessive the quantity may need been. It’s clear that he sees success with the Oilers and needs to be a part of a Stanley Cup-winning workforce, confirmed by locking in for the remainder of his prime.
Extension Grade: A++
It’s unimaginable to offer this extension something lower than the most effective grade doable. There was no real-world situation the place Draisaitl took a large pay reduce once more, and he has earned each penny of this new deal. His defensive analytics could trigger some to argue he isn’t as worthwhile as Toronto Maple Leafs ahead Auston Matthews, who makes $13.25 million yearly, however his playoff success, mixed together with his level manufacturing over the previous a number of seasons, make him among the best offensive gamers the NHL has ever seen.
It’s not on daily basis a workforce can herald a participant like Draisaitl, who has such pure goal-scoring means; to have two on their workforce is exceptional. All through his profession, he has performed 719 regular-season video games, scoring 347 objectives and 503 assists for a 1.18 points-per-game common. On high of that, he has reached the single-season 100-point plateau 5 instances.
Much more attention-grabbing is Draisaitl’s playoff success. By means of 74 playoff video games, he has scored 41 objectives and 108 factors, which comes out to a 1.46 points-per-game common. He has all of the instruments to assist deliver the Oilers their first championship since 1990, and I’d count on him to seek out one other gear now that the extension is full and he can focus solely on successful.
Every thing that Draisaitl brings to the desk makes this extension value an A++ grade. Paying this sort of cash could damage down the road when the Oilers shift again into rebuild mode, however for now, it’s value paying a celebrity of his calibre this sort of cash. Oilers followers can now take a large sigh of aid because the workforce heads towards coaching camp.
Now that the most important information story surrounding the Oilers is over and executed with, Common Supervisor (GM) Stan Bowman should shift his focus. He has two stars to increase in McDavid and Bouchard, however he additionally has some cash to spend this season if he desires to enhance the roster nearer to the 2025 Commerce Deadline. Whereas Bowman’s strikes have been phenomenal since signing on as GM, the work is simply getting began. Hopefully, the Oilers can proceed on their path to successful their sixth Stanley Cup in franchise historical past, they usually can show everybody fallacious by lastly getting over the hump.
