[Signing] Oilers extend F Leon Draisaitl (8x$14M AAV)

[GullFoss]

I think this is great all around. Edmonton gets Drai to retire in an oilers jersey; that is a huge win for the fans and franchise that love him. Small market teams in Canada see that they can keep elite, non-Canadian talent.

For Calgary fans, he didn't take a home town discount and his new contract value is probably for a worse player than his old contract, so Edmonton becomes less competitive.

It's happy days all around.

[TrentCrimmIndependent]

I'm glad McD is the last of the three to need an extension. With how poorly they negotiate and the reckless spending year to year, it becomes harder to believe they'll set aside the needed cap space to convince him to stay (and be able to ice a full roster).

If Bowman somehow pulls it off the depth after those albatross contracts would have to be bare bones and their dismal C level prospects.

[Jacks]

Another toxic long term, unmoveable, buyout proof contract for an aging player.
NHL GM's will never learn.

[The Cobra]

Originally Posted by Coach

Man, I guess I just don't understand it.

If you told me I could make $125M and live in Edmonton, or $110M and live, basically anywhere else including some of the world's best cities, it's just a no brainer. Especially if I had already lived in Edmonton for a decade.

One other factor. The chance of a carer ending injury which negates that $110M.

Players sign the long term contract a year before UFA for "insurance" purposes as much as anything. His choice really was to tell Edmonton he would not sign with them, force a trade, and sign with another team. Like Tkachuk did.

[Textcritic]

The biggest problem for Edmonton is the timeline. They need to extend McDavid in 2026, who will be 30 years old by the mid-point of the first year of his extension. The Oilers have the following six player under contract for the 2026–27 season:

· Draisaitl will be 31 years old
· Hymen, 34
· Nugent-Hopkins, 33
· Janmark, 34
· Nurse, 32
· J. Brown, 33

They will assuredly re-sign Bouchard, who is their youngest core player, and will be 27 years old.

That's only two years away, and this roster is a VERY old team, and with NO ONE in the pipeline.

[dino7c]

Originally Posted by Textcritic

The biggest problem for Edmonton is the timeline. They need to extend McDavid in 2026, who will be 30-years-old by the mid-point of the first year of his extension. The Oilers have the following six player under contract for the 2026–27 season:

· Draisaitl will be 31 years old
· Hymen, 34
· Nugent-Hopkins, 33
· Janmark, 34
· Nurse, 32
· J. Brown, 33

They will assuredly re-sign Bouchard, who is their youngest core player, and will be 27 years old.

That's only two years away, and this roster is a VERY old team, and with NO ONE in the pipeline.

Its actually crazy that some don't see it...the Oilers have this season and then its a steep decline

[TheIronMaiden]

Originally Posted by Textcritic

The biggest problem for Edmonton is the timeline. They need to extend McDavid in 2026, who will be 30 years old by the mid-point of the first year of his extension. The Oilers have the following six player under contract for the 2026–27 season:

· Draisaitl will be 31 years old
· Hymen, 34
· Nugent-Hopkins, 33
· Janmark, 34
· Nurse, 32
· J. Brown, 33

They will assuredly re-sign Bouchard, who is their youngest core player, and will be 27 years old.

That's only two years away, and this roster is a VERY old team, and with NO ONE in the pipeline.

Yeah this contract isn't the problem. It's the team they've got around him.

[Erick Estrada]

Originally Posted by GullFoss

I think this is great all around. Edmonton gets Drai to retire in an oilers jersey; that is a huge win for the fans and franchise that love him. Small market teams in Canada see that they can keep elite, non-Canadian talent.

For Calgary fans, he didn't take a home town discount and his new contract value is probably for a worse player than his old contract, so Edmonton becomes less competitive.

It's happy days all around.

Not every team/owner can or will hand out a $104 million signing bonus. I expect this was a big factor in getting him to sign.

[Textcritic]

Originally Posted by dino7c

Its actually crazy that some don't see it...the Oilers have this season and then its a steep decline

The reigning Stanley Cup Champions, the Florida Panthers, enter this season with two forwards and two defensemen who will be at least 30 years old when the playoffs begin. The Oilers will have ten and five.

[cannon7]

I assume he only signed this deal because he's talked with McDavid and McDavid intends to stay as well. But we'll see.

[Redrum]

Originally Posted by Coach

Man, I guess I just don't understand it.

If you told me I could make $125M and live in Edmonton, or $110M and live, basically anywhere else including some of the world's best cities, it's just a no brainer. Especially if I had already lived in Edmonton for a decade.

Kind of surprised me too. It's kind of like when they buy a house, they spend a few million for a nice one(s) instead of a cheap hole in a bad neighborhood. You would think its the same as spending a few mill to live in a nice city instead of north american Pripyat. Plus the awful media.

Ah well the only thing better than this would've been both leaving for nothing as a UFA, but this is much better than trading one or both of them for a haul, which I doubt they'd be brave enough to do anyway.

[Plett25]

The Oilers were/are in zugzwang.

They have to make a move, but there are no good moves, every move makes them worse.

Sign Draisaitl, core gets older and more expensive, supporting cast gets worse.

Let Draisaitl walk, McDavid leaves and there's another decade of darkness

Maybe it is a nice problem to have, signing all stars to long term contracts. I just don't see how they become more competitive than last season where everything broke their way and they still came up short.

And I think most Oiler fans know this, that's why they pinned their hopes on a hometown discount or lower AAV by using a bonus loophole

[scobel]

Originally Posted by dino7c

Its actually crazy that some don't see it...the Oilers have this season and then its a steep decline

I agree with you in theory on the steep decline, always tough to bet against the best player in the game. Not to sure that get's him a cup but a bit of luck and smart moves, I still see them as contenders over the next 3-5years. It hurts to say that, but then I feel we are in for a treat another decade or two of darkness from the Oilers.

[Samonadreau]

After Mcdavid signs 8x16 and Bouchard 8x11, they will have $51M tied up in 4 players and one of them is an average 2nd pair Dman.

[sureLoss]

https://twitter.com/user/status/1831029730126213361

[Paulie Walnuts]

Originally Posted by Textcritic

The biggest problem for Edmonton is the timeline. They need to extend McDavid in 2026, who will be 30 years old by the mid-point of the first year of his extension. The Oilers have the following six player under contract for the 2026–27 season:

· Draisaitl will be 31 years old
· Hymen, 34
· Nugent-Hopkins, 33
· Janmark, 34
· Nurse, 32
· J. Brown, 33

They will assuredly re-sign Bouchard, who is their youngest core player, and will be 27 years old.

That's only two years away, and this roster is a VERY old team, and with NO ONE in the pipeline.

Skinner will be 27 and needing a new contract.

[Scroopy Noopers]

Originally Posted by sureLoss

https://twitter.com/user/status/1831029730126213361

Holy ####, well you ain’t buying that out.

[keenan87]

Originally Posted by sureLoss

https://twitter.com/user/status/1831029730126213361

so practically buyout proof, right?

[Textcritic]

Originally Posted by sureLoss

https://twitter.com/user/status/1831029730126213361

Holy ####.

[GGG]

Essentially a market value contract. I’m a little surprised he signed this early but when you can lock in a guaranteed 100 mil maybe you just do it and worry about lifestyle later on.

Him taking 14 and not a discount like 12 ensures the window closes down after this year.