Oilers GM Making Leon Draisaitl Deal Top Priority

The new Edmonton Oilers general manager believes extending Leon Draisaitl is a top priority for the organization.

Jacob Punturi | Jul 28, 2024

Jun 24, 2024; Sunrise, Florida, USA; Edmonton Oilers forward Leon Draisaitl (29) warms up prior to the game against the Florida Panthers in game seven of the 2024 Stanley Cup Final at Amerant Bank Arena. Mandatory Credit: Jim Rassol-USA TODAY Sports / Jim Rassol-USA TODAY Sports

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Edmonton Oilers

The Edmonton Oilers went in a surprising direction when they named Stan Bowman as the team's new general manager. He enters the organization with the task of getting the Oilers over the hump and winning the team's first Stanley Cup since 1990.

Ending that 34 year drought will be a monumental task for the Oilers, and the first domino to fall is the contract negotiations with star forward Leon Draisaitl. He's entering the final season of his current deal, and is due for a considerable raise and long-term commitment. Keeping him and Connor McDavid together is the best chance for the team to win in the postseason, something Bowman knows all too well.

During his introductory press conference, Bowman's first question from the media segued him into discussing how important Draisaitl is to the team. He also made it clear that he wants to finalize a long-term extension with the superstar.

"Starting with Leon," he said. "Leon's a top priority for me. I want Leon to be an Oiler for life."

This wasn't a surprising statement from Bowman, as the team's maintained a desire to work out an extension. The issues in negotiations are not made public, but a potential sticking point could be the average annual value of the deal. Draisaitl currently has a salary cap hit of $8.5 million, which is second highest on the team but $4 million less than McDavid's cap hit of $12.5 million.

Recent comparable contracts are only complicating the matter as well. Toronto Maple Leafs star Auston Matthews signed a four-year deal last season, earning him $13.25 million per year and making him the highest paid player in the game. They also signed William Nylander to an eight-year extension with an AAV of $11.5 million.

All of this means that Draisaitl will be making at least $12 million or more per season if he and Oilers finalize a new contract. The Oilers have no leverage to pay him any less. Draisaitl has the second most points scored over the last five seasons and has been an elite playoff performer as well. It would be fair for his reperesentation to seek a salary higher than McDavid or Matthews.

That leaves the Oilers GM with some serious work to do. While inking Draisaitl to a new deal will remain a priority, the team will also have to consider the long-term ramifications of another expensive contract. The lack of depth in their lineup ended up being the team's demise against the Florida Panthers, and Bowman has the unenviable task of balancing the lineup in addition to one of the most important contract negotiations of his career. What a way to kick off tthe first offseason as the Oilers' general manager.

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Published Jul 28, 2024

JACOB PUNTURI