Oilers Reward Draisaitl With Massive Record-Breaking Deal

Finn Marceau

Sep 3, 2024, 15:26

Finn Marceau

Sep 3, 2024, 15:26

Leon Draisaitl will stay with the Edmonton Oilers for a very long time.

Bob Frid-USA TODAY Sports - Oilers Reward Draisaitl With Massive Record-Breaking Deal

The moment Oilers fans have been waiting for all summer long has finally come to pass. This morning, the team announced that Leon Draisaitl has signed an eight-year contract extension worth $14 million annually.

The deal will kick in for the 2025-26 season, and keep Draisaitl in Edmonton through his age-37 season. The AAV of $14 million breaks the record previously held by Auston Matthews, whose $13.25 AAV contract begins this year.

At a total value of $112 million, this is the second-largest contract in NHL history, behind Alex Ovechkin's 13-year, $124 million contract signed in 2008.

Draisaitl, who turns 29 in October, was drafted third overall by the Oilers in 2014. He sits third in the NHL in points since his debut in 2014-15, with 850, behind only Connor McDavid and Nikita Kucherov. His 347 goals place fourth, while his 146 powerplay goals are second, behind only Ovechkin.

Under his previous massive underpay of a contract, Draisaitl has put up five 100-point campaigns, three 50-goal years, and won the Hart and Art Ross trophies in 2019-20.

As good as he is during the regular season, his playoff performances have become the stuff of legend. From putting up an absurd 32 points in 16 games on one leg in 2022 to leading all non-McDavid players in points this past spring, Draisaitl has proven himself as possibly the league's premier big game player.

[embed]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FPNj49Wt8Fk[/embed]

With this extension, the Oilers are beginning to lock their future in stone, with only this year's Evan Bouchard and next year's Connor McDavid extensions left to keep this championship-level core together. With McDavid and Draisaitl being so close on and off the ice, this will surely boost the Oilers' chances of keeping McDavid around.

Bookmark The Hockey News Edmonton Oilers team site to never miss news, interviews or any other updates on the Oilers.