Any hope of the Boston Bruins landing this dream target can officially be forgotten.
Any hope of the Boston Bruins landing this dream target can officially be forgotten.
Edmonton Oilers forward Leon Draisaitl was viewed as a potential top target for the Boston Bruins if he hit the free-agent market in 2025. Speculation grew significantly on the matter after Bruins legends Patrice Bergeron and David Krejci announced their retirements during the 2023 NHL Offseason. In addition, Draisaitl's friendship with Bruins superstar David Pastrnak made the idea of him heading to Boston even more appealing.
However, the pipe dream of Draisaitl becoming a Bruin can officially be forgotten. The superstar forward has signed a massive eight-year, $112 million contract extension with the Oilers. Starting in 2025-26, the 28-year-old will carry a $14 million cap hit.
It is not surprising to see Draisaitl come to terms with the Oilers on a new deal. It was well-known that both sides were working hard on an extension. However, it still does not lessen the sting for Bruins fans who had hoped that the Original Six club would get the chance to pursue him next summer.
On the bright side, the Bruins still added some much-needed help down the middle this summer when they signed Elias Lindholm. However, given how spectacular of a talent Draisaitl is, he would have been the perfect first-line center target for the Bruins next offseason.
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