Leon Draisaitl sends the Oilers an important message regarding Connor McDavid

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Daniel Lucente
September 4, 2024 (3:15 PM)

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Leon Draisaitl is fresh off a new contract extension with the Oilers, and he wasted no time in sending an urgent message to Stan Bowman about McDavid.

The Edmonton Oilers made headlines yesterday, locking in Leon Draisaitl with an eight-year contract extension worth a stunning record $14 million per year, which was a historic deal for the organization and the league. While the news is surely exciting for Oilers fans, there are some potential drawbacks that shouldn't be overlooked, including a cautionary note from Draisaitl himself.

During the press conference following the announcement, Leon Draisaitl voiced that his new deal would set the stage for linemate Connor McDavid to sign an extension next summer, and admitted to the difficulties that could come with it.

«Connor's going to do what's best for him, right?» he said on Tuesday when asked about each of them doing what's best for themselves. «That's just the way this works, and it's supposed to work this way. I did what I felt was best for me personally.

«Do I hope Connor follows along? I'd be lying if I said no. Of course I want him to stay on board, and i want all our pieces to stay on board.»

- Leon Draisaitl

Connor McDavid, who still has two years left on his current contract, which pays $12.5 million annually, won't be free to sign a new deal with Edmonton until as early as July 1, 2025. And that could get a little messy for the Oilers, as pointed out by James Mirtle of The Athletic. He writes that the gigantic extension to Leon Draisaitl could make negotiations a bit tricky for McDavid, who is also in line for a significant raise.

«The more complicated question looking at all of this cap math is what that means for McDavid, who is peerless in the league. He has won more major individual awards (14 of the Hart, Lindsay, Art Ross, Richard and Conn Smythe) than the other three top salaried players combined. He's piled up 610 points over the past five seasons (1.7 points per game) when only his teammate, Draisaitl, has cleared 500 (538) leaguewide. McDavid is, in short, one of one. And one of the best players to ever play the sport. Fifteen percent isn't going to work.»

- James Mirtle

The Oilers' biggest task remains finding that delicate balance between keeping their superstar tandem happy and continuing to build a competitive roster around them, and with defenseman Evan Bouchard due for a new contract in 2025-26, this is a team whose salary cap flexibility will be stretched pretty thin. This extension, as much as it was well-deserved, could limit the Edmonton Oilers' ability to sign other key players or retain current ones like Connor McDavid and Bouchard.

Insider Frank Seravalli believes Leon Draisaitl's extension all but seals the deal that Connor McDavid will be an Oiler for life. But one must also take into consideration that with so much of the salary cap tied up in just a few players, the quality of the team's depth could suffer.

«It's now a 100 per cent shot that Connor McDavid re-signs with the Edmonton Oilers,» Seravalli told Bob Stauffer of Oilers Now. «Because there is no chance that he's leaving. I didn't think there was to begin with. And certainly not now with Leon Draisaitl looked up for the long term. There's no way that Leon is signing if there is a chance that Connor is not.»

- Frank Seravalli

And then there's the warning from Leon Draisaitl himself at the press conference, which is a reminder that even with big names signed, there are still many obstacles ahead for GM Stan Bowman of the Oilers.