NHL Rumors: Oilers Not Inclined to Let Leon Draisaitl Play Out Final Year of Contract

The Edmonton Oilers do not plan to lose Leon Draisaitl for nothing at the end of his current contract next summer, Chris Johnston reported for The Athletic.

“Edmonton is not inclined to let the 28-year-old center simply play out the final year of his contract and walk directly into free agency next July, according to multiple league sources familiar with the front office’s view of the situation,” Johnston wrote.

Draisaitl is signed one for one more season at $8.5 million before he is slated to hit unrestricted free agency.

The Oilers will have to make a decision about their second-line center before they can lock in their first. Connor McDavid, who is currently signed through 2026, is not eligible to sign an extension until next offseason.

According to Johnston, “there is at least some concern” in the Oilers’ front office that keeping Draisaitl in Edmonton on an expiring contract could lead to the potential of both stars leaving the franchise in consecutive seasons.

In the seven regular seasons and 528 games played since singing his current deal with the Oilers, Draisaitl has ranked second only to McDavid with 713 points, and second to Toronto Maple Leafs star Auston Matthews with 297 goals.

Although he was most recently held scoreless in the Oilers’ seven-game Cup Final loss to the Florida Panthers, that consistent production has earned Draisaitl what will be a significant raise from his current $8.5 million average annual value.

Like McDavid and Matthews, he could be set to earn more than $12 million per year on his next deal, which will begin with his age-30 season.

The Oilers could be somewhat limited in what they can offer Draisaitl due to consideration for McDavid’s next deal, which is likely to set a new NHL record.

The team will also face some limitations if they are considering a trade for the star second-line center, however. Draisaitl holds a ten-team no-trade clause as well as a no-move clause for next season, per CapFriendly, so the Oilers would have to get his approval on any potential deal.

Unlike most team’s secondary stars, Draisaitl has established himself as a phenom in his own right by playing most of his even-strength minutes without McDavid.

The Oilers could receive a historic return for trading one of the best scorers in the league, even on an expiring contract. The Edmonton front office will have to weigh whether that potential haul is worth more than one more season of Draisaitl if they are unable to sign the center to a long-term extension this summer.