Oilers Begin Contract Talks With Leon Draisaitl

Edmonton Oilers superstar Leon Draisaitl is entering the final season of his current deal.

Jun 21, 2024; Edmonton, Alberta, CAN; Edmonton Oilers center Leon Draisaitl (29) during the warmup period against the Florida Panthers in game six of the 2024 Stanley Cup Final at Rogers Place. Mandatory Credit: Sergei Belski-USA TODAY Sports / Sergei Belski-USA TODAY Sports

The Edmonton Oilers and superstar forward Leon Draisaitl have opened talks on a contract extension, general manager Stan Bowman said at the Gretzky Hlinka Cup on Monday.

“I had a good conversation (with Draisaitl’s agent Mike Liut) and we’re starting things off and the timing on that will be what it will be,” Bowman said, per NHL.com. “I don’t have an update of where it’s going to be or the timing on that, but there is nothing negative to report, certainly.”

Draisaitl, 28, is entering the final season fo an eight-year, $68 million extension that he signed in 2017. His contract has been one of the best value deals in the NHL, but now, the German star is due for a massive raise.

Over the past six seasons, Draisaitl has been one of the best players in the entire league with 643 points in 450 games. He also won the Hart Trophy in 2020 after posting a league-high 110 points (43 goals, 67 assists) in 71 games, and he has been a factor in the MVP race every season since.

Shortly after his controversial hiring, Bowman stated that he wants to make Draisaitl "an Oiler for life." The same goes for three-time Hart Trophy winner Connor McDavid, who has two years left on his deal and is eligible to sign a new one on July 1, 2025.

“Leon is a super-talented player, a huge part of what we’re doing, and he has been and will be for some time and that hasn’t changed at all,” Bowman said. “I think it’s really hard to find stars in the NHL, so when you have them, the goal is to keep them.

“The same thing with Connor. Those guys are a huge reason the team’s had a successful run so far, and they will be a big part of the future too.”

Draisaitl was also a crucial piece of the OIlers' recent run to the Stanley Cup Final, as he put up 31 points (10 goals, 21 assists) in 25 postseason games. If the Oilers are to get back to the Final and finish the job, Draisaitl will almost certainly be a key piece of that run as well.

“They came up one game short, but it’s a new year,” Bowman said. “One of the things I tried to communicate was that last year was last year, and as much as it was a great run and there’s a lot of interest in looking back at what was a great season, I think it’s important to look forward and how this group is going to come together next season. We have some new pieces, and you don’t know what next year’s team is going to look like.”

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