Hockey insider Darren Dreger has some thoughts about Leon Draisaitl's next contract with the Edmonton Oilers.
Hockey insider Darren Dreger has some thoughts about Leon Draisaitl's next contract with the Edmonton Oilers.
EDMONTON -- Leon Draisaitl is one heck of a hockey player.
He's the Edmonton Oilers all-time leader in power play goals, third all-time in game winning goals, and an incredible goal scorer. He also won an Art Ross Trophy, Hart Trophy and Rocket Richard Trophy.
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For most teams that would describe the best player on the roster - but not the Oilers. They also (obviously) have Connor McDavid, who can only be classified as a generational talent.
Once July 1st hits this summer Draisaitl will be able to sign a contract extension.
I believe that's one reason why there has been so much pressure on the team this season. If the Oilers take a good run at the Stanley Cup - perhaps he'll want to stay, or at least that's where that train of thought leads.
Recently on TSN 1050 Overdrive, insider Darren Dreger spoke about Draisaitl's looming extension. Dreger compares the upcoming Draisaitl and Connor McDavid extensions to another dynamic duo's contracts, "I think of when Patrick Kane and Jonathan Toews extended back in the day with the Chicago Blackhawks - those mammoth $10-million per year deals - if memory serves those were 14% of the team's salary cap."
"Start doing the math on $87 [to] $90+ million and what the percentage looks like for Leon Draisaitl. If he wants, 14, 15, 16 % of the salary cap - those are big big beefy numbers. Is he worth that? He is to me."
He then made a prediction on whether or not the Oilers would be able to offer that kind of contract to Draisaitl, "can the Oilers afford to pay him that? No."
Come July 1st, this will certainly be a talking point across all of hockey media. This kind of thing could certainly drag out - but a player doesn't have to sign an extension the second he is able to.
At the end of the day the Oilers need to do what is best for the team, and Draisaitl needs to do what is best for him.
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