Leon Draisaitl's agent gives Edmonton Oilers a deadline to re-sign him
The Edmonton Oilers biggest piece of offseason business will be the re-signing of Leon Draisaitl, and according to a new report, they'll have to do it quickly.
The 2 Mutts Hockey Podcast has stated that Leon Draisaitl's agent will not negotiate with the Oilers during the season. If there is no contract in place by September 19th, just a few days before the preseason begins, Leon will play out the season before returning to negotiate with the Oilers.
Just a few days ago, NHL insider Frank Seravalli reported on OilersNow that talks between the team and Draisaitl's camp haven't progressed as anticipated, and there may be a gap between his ask and the Oilers' offer at the moment.
Given that Draisaitl is a franchise player and this contract could dictate the future of the Oilers, the team should just step up and pay him. There's been talk of the Oilers taking discounts on their next contract, but Leon Draisaitl has been playing at a major discount on his current salary of $8.5M.
Leon Draisaitl needs no introduction to NHL fans: he's arguably the second best player in the league. The 28 year old German center has now played 719 career NHL games, scoring 347 goals and an incredible 850 points. He's played at above a 100 point pace for the last six seasons, being one of the most consistent offensive producers in hockey. Some reports have indicated he could get well north of $14M in free agency, but may take under $14M with the Oilers.
It will be a major storyline next season if Draisaitl begins the year without a contract extension. There could be the possibility that he plays out the year and walks to free agency, or gets dangerously close to it. The Oilers should do what needs to be done to avoid this distraction around the team this year, and meet Draisaitl's demands - whatever they are.
Source for Draisaitl Stats: Leon Draisaitl - PuckPedia
| POLL | ||
Do you think the Oilers should pay Leon Draisaitl up to $14M? | ||
| Yes, he's worth it all | 159 | 52 % |
| No, it's too much | 118 | 38.6 % |
| He will leave | 15 | 4.9 % |
| See Results | 14 | 4.6 % |
| List of polls | ||
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