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

[Goriders]

Originally Posted by jg13

They're really going to have 54.25M tied up in McDavid, Draisaitl, Nurse, Campbell + Bouchard come 2026.

Maybe they’ll just have one line.

[Red Potato Standing By]

Originally Posted by Reign of Fire

I'm not sure how you can feel better about that contract.

He is an oiler fan pretending to be a flames fan that is how he “feels better about it”

[Goriders]

That’s about what it would take for me to live in Edmonton. Around $14 million.

[Robbob]

Can't wait for Drai to build his own grey monstrosity with am indoor basketball court with a 14' ceiling.

[Enoch Root]

Originally Posted by Rutuu

NHL's strategy is clear. Expansion...there are no NHL teams in Houston, Atlanta, Phoenix, and Cleveland that have MLB teams, and NBA teams. Orlando, Sacramento, San Antonio and Memphis all have NBA teams but no NHL team.

At $2bn per new team, the current owners have a plan. With the expansion rules re-done after Vegas, the new teams have been accretive to HRR. It can't go forever, but that won't stop them for running this plan out for the rest of the decade.

Expansion fees don't go into HRR

Expansion only helps the cap if the expansion team's revenues are above the league average. Assuming that Sacramento or Memphis or Phoenix or Atlanta can generate revenues above the current league average is... optimistic!

Thinking it can save the Oilers is, well, a bold strategy - let's see how it plays out!

[Groot]

Originally Posted by SuperMatt18

The biggest mistake the Oilers might have made is they traded the guys they needed to help bridge the gap once the stars got raises (Mcleod, Holloway, Broberg), and instead gave short term contracts to aging vets.

Oilers window would look a lot better if they gave McLeod, Holloway, and Broberg some longer term deals that could be seen as an underpay in 2-3 seasons.

That's the funniest part of people declaring them contenders for years. They have no players that can progress. Broberg, Holloway, McLeod, even Foegle all had the potential to elevate their game.

With the Oilers roster now, it's aging players on the back half of their careers where they're, at best, hoping players maintain their level of play.

[Enoch Root]

Originally Posted by Groot

That's the funniest part of people declaring them contenders for years. They have no players that can progress. Broberg, Holloway, McLeod, even Foegle all had the potential to elevate their game.

With the Oilers roster now, it's aging players on the back half of their careers where they're, at best, hoping players maintain their level of play.

Dude - they have Emberson and Podkolzin!

The sky is the limit, my friend!

[GullFoss]

Originally Posted by dino7c

This is why I keep posting because I can't fathom somebody whos not an Oiler fanboy not seeing this. They came close one time with McDrai in their prime and on bargain contracts. When they are at max contracts and older the team won't be better lol. They have nothing coming to shore things up any depth will be UFA....league min guys with their cap.

Its not a homer take these guys are DONE after this season and especially after 2. Forget the cup in 2 years they will be middling let alone 4 or 5 years. Source? they were already middling before adding a bit of depth (which is really old)

Hard to say. I think you could build a championship team around 30-34 year old McDavid and Drai, a young Bouchard etc paid at fair market value. It's not a great contract and its a lot of term and it probably won't age well. But rarely can you overpay a franchise player around their prime years. All that said, it's going to be harder to win because they have to pay him fairly now vs a bargain contract prior.

Ultimately, its the big money contracts handed over to non-franchise players and buyouts that hurts teams. Like the Nurse contract. Like the Lucic contract. Like the neal contract. Like the Huby contract.

[FlamesAddiction]

I would have liked to see him leave just for the laughs, but at least they aren't underpaying him for his production anymore. They are going to have to find other ways to save money now, and it will get even more difficult if McDavid re-signs. Add to that, their feeble prospect base and lack of significant draft picks, getting good players on ELCs isn't going to be easy.

[Textcritic]

Originally Posted by Bourque's Twin

McDavid will probably stay and sign for 8x16. Bouchard is at least 10.

Nurse’s buyout is too cumbersome. They should trade him plus multiple 1sts to get rid of the contract if they want any chance at building any team around the core. Skinner will get a big raise too if he can play well (not sure he will).

It's a huge problem, but again, the biggest issue facing the Oilers now and into the future is age. With this contract, they have signalled this is the window. The question is, is it even still open?

Were the Oilers to win the Stanley Cup this season, they will be the oldest team in NHL history to do so. There is no path for them to get younger in the next two years, and by that time, it's over.

[topfiverecords]

Originally Posted by Groot

That's the funniest part of people declaring them contenders for years. They have no players that can progress. Broberg, Holloway, McLeod, even Foegle all had the potential to elevate their game.

With the Oilers roster now, it's aging players on the back half of their careers where they're, at best, hoping players maintain their level of play.

They looked at the list of S named players around the league that they could try to acquire to be their future Saviour and on the list was Savoie, and that's pretty close so goodbye McLeod.

[dino7c]

Originally Posted by GullFoss

Hard to say. I think you could build a championship team around 30-34 year old McDavid and Drai, a young Bouchard etc paid at fair market value. It's not a great contract and its a lot of term and it probably won't age well. But rarely can you overpay a franchise player around their prime years. All that said, it's going to be harder to win because they have to pay him fairly now vs a bargain contract prior.

Ultimately, its the big money contracts handed over to non-franchise players and buyouts that hurts teams. Like the Nurse contract. Like the Lucic contract. Like the neal contract. Like the Huby contract.

Huberdeau outscored Drai the season he got paid his 10.5...its not like Neal or Lucic at all he was the 2nd leading scorer in the league not some goon or average player
things can drop off fast

Anyway the whole point is the Oilers have no path to improve...even if someone thinks the contract is an amazing bargain its still 5.5M more leaving 5.5M less for someone else. And they couldn't win before. To even imagine a good let alone great Oilers roster in 3 seasons is near impossible. Who are they gonna replace in the middle of the lineup with no cap? how are they going to replace Ekholm?

[Paulie Walnuts]

Once Tom Emberson wins the Norris this year he will need a raise as well. 8x11

[Textcritic]

Originally Posted by GullFoss

... I think you could build a championship team around 30-34 year old McDavid and Drai, a young Bouchard etc paid at fair market value...

But, they don't have a "young Bouchard." He will be 28–31 years old when McHobo and Draisaitl are in their 30–34 years.

And, there is no "etc." All the rest of the Oilers impact players who are under contract for the next few years are well into their 30s, and they have the worst collection of prospects and young players in the entire League by a wide margin.

[butterfly]

Originally Posted by GullFoss

Hard to say. I think you could build a championship team around 30-34 year old McDavid and Drai, a young Bouchard etc paid at fair market value. It's not a great contract and its a lot of term and it probably won't age well. But rarely can you overpay a franchise player around their prime years. All that said, it's going to be harder to win because they have to pay him fairly now vs a bargain contract prior.

Ultimately, its the big money contracts handed over to non-franchise players and buyouts that hurts teams. Like the Nurse contract. Like the Lucic contract. Like the neal contract. Like the Huby contract.

Age 22-29 Draisaitl is a franchise player. Age 30-37 Draisaitl will not be one.

It isn't going to be long before the Bedard draft is the class of the league.

[dino7c]

Originally Posted by Textcritic

But, they don't have a "young Bouchard." He will be 28–31 years old when McHobo and Draisaitl are in their 30–34 years.

And, there is no "etc." All the rest of the Oilers impact players who are under contract for the next few years are well into their 30s, and they have the worst collection of prospects and young players in the entire League by a wide margin.

This is just it...people call me names and a homer (not him specifically) yet give substance like ect.

nobody has even attempted to show how the Oilers improve their team beyond this year because they don't, its impossible.

Yes McDrai are great players, we get it. Takes a TEAM to win in the NHL

Florida signs their #1D and #1 goalscorer for 14M TOTAL

Who has the better TEAM moving forward? Panthers were already better how do the Oilers make up that gap?

[bluejays]

To me Edmonton is bent over in having to offer these guys this type of deal. Is he worth it? I do think so, but to have two of these guys taking up so much of their cap is a tough position to be in. I tend to think he’ll age well just given he’s strong and doesn’t play a particularly tough game but we’ll see. Edmonton is royally screwed as they have been for ages, with filling out the rest of their roster. Without proper defence, good luck getting all the way again.

[Jay Random]

Originally Posted by 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

Thanked for perfect use of the word zugzwang.

[Whynotnow]

Hey all, just thought I’d give you my perspective as a dreaded Oil fan. I felt this contract is probably right down the middle. Probably wanted it in the 13’s but could also see it going higher. I’m extremely happy he’s staying and I think it’s great news for the Mcdavid contract.

I also agree with some of the analysis here, it’s a tough road for the team. I think the window is longer than some think, but they will be threading a cap needle. Still have to be considered a contender and if the cap rises it’s not terrible moving forward.

It’s a rare contract that also pierces two lines of thought for two different fan bases.

For oilers fans, this is not some discount, not at all. I never once thought 12.5 was realistic, but too many fans did.

For flames fans, well, he didn’t want out, nor did his partner. He committed and likely means Mcdavid will too. My side commentary in that regard is this is a good thing for both fan bases. We can’t become the cities where stars get drafted, play to UFA and then escape. What fun is that? I want both cities to have great teams that battle each other and that means keeping players.

[Deegee]

It's hard to make it to the finals and even harder to win the cup. You need luck, and the Oilers had that in large amounts last year. To magically assume they make it back to the finals even this year is a bit of an optimistic stretch. It's honestly amazing the arrogance Oilers fans have.