Leon Draisaitl and Edmonton Oilers nearing finish line on new contract

Over the last few months, the reports on Leon Draisaitl's future with the Edmonton Oilers have been pretty mixed.

What was supposed to be a simple contract extension on July 1st has become a summer-long negotiation. Last week, it was reported that upon returning to Edmonton, Draisaitl was surprised by the team's initial contract offer.

Early reports suggested he'd issued an ultimatum, placing a firm deadline for getting the deal done, with the reasoning being he wouldn't negotiate during the season. He reportedly gave the Oilers until October to get it done, thus placing pressure on the organization to move quickly.

It seems this deadline has finally galvanized the Oilers into action, as reports from the 2 Mutts Podcast suggest a deal is now close. Since this exact same podcast recently correctly forecasted that the Oilers would not retain Dylan Holloway and Philip Broberg, these rumors are carrying some significant weight.

With negotiations reportedly nearing their conclusion, much speculation remains on what the final terms of Leon Draisaitl's contract will be. Given how closely it's being watched by analysts and fans alike, the real question is going to be how the Oilers work their way around the salary cap and if they might use deferred payments in an effort to fit the deal under the cap, similar to what the Carolina Hurricanes just did when they signed Seth Jarvis.

As the season draws near, this will go a long way toward determining what the complexion of the team's roster will ultimately look and feel like, and how they'll manage the cap.

Leon Draisaitl is definitely expecting a significant pay raise following his stellar season in 2023-24, where he put up 41 goals, 65 assists, and 106 points in the 81 games he played. The 3rd-overall pick in 2014 also played in 25 playoff games this past spring, scoring 10 goals and 21 assists for 31 points.

Source: NHL.com
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