The Edmonton Oilers have become a destination that free agents want to come to and players want to stay in. With two of the best players in the world leading the charge and a Stanley Cup in their sights, players now want to be part of the organization.
However, Leon Draisaitl has two years left on his contract at a very good price of $8.5 million average annual value (AAV), and Connor McDavid has three years left also at a good price, at $12.5 million AAV. But the Oilers haven’t won yet, so some have started to question whether the duo will be split up, not only for money purposes but also for them to try and win elsewhere. I believe Canada’s best shot at bringing the Stanley Cup back north is with these two superstars in Edmonton.
Oilers Insider, Bob Stauffer, hinted at whether both will re-sign or move on when their contracts expire. On Oilers Now, he stated, “There is a chance, and I might insist that it’s better than a 50/50 chance, that Draisaitl and McDavid re-sign long-term here in Edmonton.” Stauffer also went on to say that he believed the Los Angeles Kings, Edmonton’s biggest rival after two first-round playoff matchups, would have been in on Draisaitl if he were to become available until they acquired and signed Pierre-Luc Dubois long term and re-signed Anze Kopitar.
Stauffer also said, “There’s one team that Connor McDavid and Leon Draisaitl would be able to go to play together. A team that has the cap space to sign both, and that team is the Edmonton Oilers. While the cap space is expected to rise significantly by the time Draisaitl needs a new contract, and the Oilers should be willing to throw a ton of money at him, he might also think of the team first and take a more team-friendly deal like Ryan Nugent-Hopkins did. Of course, I’m not expecting Draisaitl to sign for just over $5 million AAV, but I don’t think he will push the Oilers to the limit and try to sign for over $13 million AAV either.”
The contracts of Cody Ceci and Warren Foegele, and the buyout hit of James Neal, will be the only significant cap hits coming off the books to use towards Draisaitl’s next contract in the next two years. But a year later, when McDavid is due for a new contract, Evander Kane, Mattias Ekholm, Brett Kulak, and Stuart Skinner will also be up for extensions.
No Indication McDavid & Draisaitl Want to Split Up
One of the best power plays ever assembled is run by McDavid and Draisaitl. Not only are they great friends, but they also enjoy playing together. It’s hard to say where both would be right now if they hadn’t had the chance to play together throughout their careers. I bet that even though they would still both be extremely good, they wouldn’t have put up the same points as they have each season.
When the Oilers need a goal, McDavid and Draisaitl are both on the ice, no matter the situation, and a lot of the time, they get the job done. Stauffer is right, there is no other team as good as Edmonton and any place they know as well that would have the space to add both of the stars.
No other players know McDavid and Draisaitl as well as they know each other. Although they have yet to win a Stanley Cup, they are only now in their prime. General manager Ken Holland continues to build what he hopes is the right formula to surround the Oilers’ stars, and they likely have sway in bringing players like Connor Brown.
Oilers’ Window to Win
While the Oilers have a nice window to win right now, extending both Draisaitl and McDavid leaves that window open for a long time. The supporting cast and depth players will come and go, but having McDavid and Draisaitl leading the charge down the middle is unmatched. The power play will remain elite as long as they stay together, and you can count on the Oilers having at least two 40-plus goals and 100-plus point players each and every season (likely much higher) (from “Why Oilers’ Connor McDavid and Leon Draisaitl combo is the ultimate luxury: ‘It’s magic’,” The Athletic, May 1, 2023).
Related: Realistic Expectations for Oilers’ Vincent Desharnais in 2023-24
Although we have been given some information about McDavid and Draisaitl’s next contracts that might ease our consciousness, it isn’t a certainty that they will both re-sign long-term just yet. The Oilers will likely have to remain a strong contender and make strides over the next two seasons to convince both players that they will win in Edmonton.