The Edmonton Oilers finally completed a contract extension with superstar forward Leon Draisaitl, as they announced on Tuesday (Sept. 3) morning that they had extended him for eight more seasons with an average annual value of $14 million. After months of speculation and some worry that started to creep into Oilers fans’ minds, the deal is finally done. At this stage in his career, Draisaitl is playing on one of the strongest teams in the NHL as they look to win their sixth Stanley Cup in franchise history. With one order of business now done, it’s time for them to focus on having a strong 2024-25 campaign before shifting to re-signing Evan Bouchard and Connor McDavid.
Related: Grading Edmonton Oilers’ Monster Contract Extension for Leon Draisaitl
Draisaitl met with the media alongside general manager Stan Bowman shortly after signing the new extension and answered some questions about the negotiation process, what thoughts led him to make this decision, and his goals for the future with the Oilers. Some comments raised eyebrows of some fans around the league, specifically when Draisaitl was asked about McDavid’s future in Edmonton.
When asked to give some insight on the direction McDavid was planning to go, since his contract is up after the 2025-26 season, Draisaitl made sure not to give much away about his “dynamic-duo” partner. In response, Draisaitl implied that he made sure he did what was best for his career moving forward, and believes that’s exactly what McDavid will do as well. While nobody expected Draisaitl to give a direct answer, this one made fans wonder if there’s a slim chance McDavid is considering alternative options.
No Reason to Worry for Oilers Fans
Despite the potentially-worrying response from Draisaitl, there is no reason to believe McDavid won’t be an Oiler for life. His happiness on social media in reaction to Draisaitl’s extension, mixed with his very vocal pride about being the captain of the team, are just a couple of reasons that indicate he has no intentions of considering signing elsewhere. The Oilers will likely shift their focus onto locking up Bouchard before they speak to McDavid about an extension, but there is no doubt in my mind both deals will get done.
Even with this massive amount of money dedicated to one player, the Oilers still have the flexibility to bring everyone back next season while…
Click Here to Read the Full Original Article at The Hockey Writers…