NHL insider makes bold statement on where Draisaitl will sign next contract

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Liam McCormick
May 29, 2024 (3:15 PM)

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There's been rumours swirling of Leon Draisaitl leaving the Oilers as a free agent next year, but NHL insider Frank Seravalli has said there's no truth to it - Draisaitl wants to stay.

On today's edition of OilersNation Everyday, Seravalli spoke at length about Draisaitl's fit in Edmonton and his relationship with Connor McDavid being key factors keeping him with the Oilers.

»Yeah I don't see it and I don't really understand the hysteria and buzz around it because I've always viewed these two players as a package deal. There's only one place that Draisaitl can play with the best player on planet Earth, and it's here in Edmonton. And by the way, they also happen to be best friends.»
-Frank Seravalli

Currently, Leon Draisaitl is on the best value contract in the NHL with only $8.5M in annual salary. It's being reported now that on his next contract, Draisaitl will likely exceed Auston Matthews' $13.25M contract to become the highest paid player in the NHL. The Oilers know they have to pay Draisaitl to keep him around, and it will take some cap restructuring to make the money work.

In the past few weeks, Draisaitl had been connected to the Boston Bruins and San Jose Sharks for his free agent contract. The Bruins are a highly competitive team looking for an elite center for Pastrnak, and the Sharks will be an emerging threat for years to come with young talent and a German owner which could lure Draisaitl.

Interestingly enough, Frank Seravalli did hint at the fact that Draisaitl could potentially leave Edmonton if he fulfills his goal of winning the Stanley Cup with the core. He's got an enigmatic personality, and the insiders speculated he may want to forge his own legacy after a Cup win in Edmonton.

»It's going to be hard to envision those two separating from each other. I think maybe the conversation is different if the Oilers had won a Stanley Cup, then Draisaitl could branch off and go on his own . . .»
-Frank Seravalli

Whatever happens, from the time this playoff run ends, the questions will swirl around Draisaitl's future with the Oilers until a contract is signed. Hopefully for Edmonton, Draisaitl has some loyalty to the city and this team, and wishes to play his entire career for the Oilers. At the end of his career, he could be amongst the very best players in NHL history.