Oilers Sign Forward Leon Draisaitl To Eight-Year Deal

The Edmonton Oilers signed Forward Leon Draisaitl to an eight-year, $112 million extension for the beginning of the 2024-2025 NHL season. It's the first move for new Edmonton Oiler General Manager Stan Bowman, who replaced Ken Holland in the offseason. The Edmonton Oilers came close to winning the Stanley Cup last season but fell short. The Florida Panthers won Game 7 to be crowned Stanley Cup champions. The Oilers will have to make two more other decisions in the future one on defenseman Evan Bouchard and forward Connor McDavid becomes a free agent at the end of this season.

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Leon Draisaitl Signs Eight-Year Deal With Oilers

Leon Draisaitl signed an eight-year extension with the Edmonton Oilers worth $112 million. This gives the center the highest annual average pay in the salary cap era. His average annual salary will be $14 million over the next eight years. He's entering the final season of an eight-year contract signed in 2017 that carries a $8.5 million cap hit. Draisaitl now surpasses the current highest-paid NHL salary cap player, Toronto Maple Leafs Forward Austin Matthews at around $13.25 million. As top-5 or top-10 players have their contracts come up, it's only inevitable that a new player will take over in the highest-paid rankings.

Leon Draisaitl has 850 points in 719 games during his 10 NHL seasons -- the third-highest total in that span behind Oilers Captain Connor McDavid. Draisaitl led the NHL in scoring in 2019-20 and won the Hart Trophy as league MVP that season. His 347 career goals are the fourth-highest of any player in that span. Leon Draisaitl did not want to make any decisions on a new contract during the Oilers run at the Stanley Cup. He wanted to take his time in deciding to stay in Edmonton, so it is no surprise it took all summer for him to sign a new contract extension.

Draisaitl Is One Of The League's Best Players

The five-time All-Star recorded 41 goals, 65 assists, and 106 points in his 10th season with the franchise last year. In 2022, Leon Draisaitl had 52 goals, 76 assists and 128 points. He was drafted by the Oilers in the 2014 NHL Draft No. 3 overall.

The Edmonton Oilers will look to have another great season this upcoming NHL season and make a run for the Stanley Cup again. The Vegas odds of the Oilers making it back to the Stanley Cup this year are +850. The Florida Panthers have +900 odds. Maybe a rematch at the end of the 2024-2025 season? For now, the Oilers have locked up Leon Draisaitl for the next eight years.

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Article originally written by Courtney Tressler