Draisaitl makes concerning statement about his future in Edmonton
Leon Draisaitl has been one of the more consistent Oilers in terms of point production and games played since he began his career with the team since he was drafted third overall in the 2014 Entry Draft.
His attention to detail, his sheer competitiveness and the will to win has shown over the past number of years as he's compiled five 100 plus seasons out of six, scoring over 50 goals a season three times and winning a Hart trophy.
This season feels different as Draisaitl has entered the stage of his career where he is preparing to sign a contract extension after this season's over. With all his accolades, Draisaitl expects a monster payday for his services.
While most fans feel that he will re sign with the Oilers, during a media scrum recently, Leon made some concerning comments that left some fans and reporters with more questions.
«That's the way I'm wired. I care a lot. Of course, I want to finish the job. And I want to finish it here. But there are lots of things that go into it. Lots of things that play a role in these situations. And at the end of the day, I'm going to give you the boring answer again: We'll see»
As expected, Draisaitl is not allowed to speak in terms of contract extension as he is currently under a deal that is only permitted to discuss an extension after the season's over. But with those remarks you can't help wondering if he's truly wanting to stay with the Oilers or keeping his options open and maybe going elsewhere.
«I know the situation come July 1. But there's another side to it as well. You know, the Oilers have a say in this as well. Come July 1, at least.»
Numerous superstars other teams have expressed their desire to stay with their home team including Auston Matthews and William Nylander both who have been recently rewarded with new deals from the Maple Leafs. Draisaitl seems happy in Edmonton, and references winning here as a priority, but stopped up of calling it home and making it unequivocal that he would stay with the Oilers. Still, that's what's expected of a pending free agent.
I feel that Draisaitl will be an Oiler for the long term as he is a key piece to their core along with their leadership group. It's also clear that the Oilers will need to roll up a Brinks truck for Leon as he will command one of the richest salaries in the NHL.
His intangibles outweigh any deficits and is worth the investment.
But only time will tell. With other contracts emerging across the league that will be up for renewal or an extension this summer, 2024 will be one of the more exciting and intriguing off seasons in recent memory.
| POLL | ||
Do you think Leon Draisaitl will sign an extension this offseason wait for free agency or leave? | ||
| Sign - He wants to be an Oiler long term | 255 | 49.6 % |
| Wait - Weighing all his options | 180 | 35 % |
| Leave - He wants to play elsewhere | 79 | 15.4 % |
| List of polls | ||
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