*Photo from The Hockey Writers*
Here's a big, big one. Center Leon Draisaitl and the Edmonton Oilers have agreed to an 8 year, $112 million contract extension, according to Elliotte Friedman of Sportsnet. The deal has been confirmed by the Oilers.
Draisaitl said of signing the extension "I take great pride in being an Oiler and always obviously wear my heart on my sleeve, but I love nothing more than wearing that jersey and representing our city and our great fans. I'm really, really excited and happy to hopefully be an Oiler for life. I don't know anything other than Edmonton and I feel super proud and excited to wear that jersey every single day. I think we're building something really special and that's just something I want to continue to be a part of and hopefully get it one step further."
The coming season will be the final year of Draisaitl's current 8 year, $68 million contract, carrying an $8.5 million AAV. He could have been a UFA at the end of the season, but instead, he'll get a big contract, one of the biggest in NHL history.
It's certainly not undeserved, as Draisaitl is coming off another hugely productive season. He potted 41 goals and added 65 assists for 106 points, notching a +26 rating while averaging 20:42 of ice time per game in 81 games. He had 10 goals and 21 assists in 25 playoff games.
Draisaitl's new contract pays him $14 million annually and has a full no movement clause for all 8 years. $76 million of the deal is in the form of signing bonus money. The $112 million is the second largest contract in league history, and the $14 million AAV is the highest in the league.
Edmonton GM Stan Bowman said of the extension "This was my top priority since I took over a month or so ago and it's a great time for everybody in Edmonton and all the Oilers fans around the world. He's a competitive guy, he wants to win. And he wants to win for the Edmonton Oilers. Players like Leon are special, there's not many people in the world that can play hockey like he does. And there's no way we can ever replace what Leon brings to the table. So, he's been a huge part of our team. He has been and will continue to be. For me, it was never a question. Certainly, there's going to be challenges in the future, but that's for us to figure out down the road."
Last season was Draisaitl's 5th year of at least 100 points or more. For the 2019-2020 season, Draisaitl won league MVP along with the Ted Lindsay and Art Ross trophies. He's averaged 97 points per 82 games and has over 100 points in the playoffs.
Draisaitl has spent all 10 of his NHL seasons with the Oilers, debuting in 2014-2015. He has 347 goals and 503 assists for 850 points to his name, averaging 20:29 of ice time per game while posting a +55 rating across 719 regular season games. He has an additional 41 goals and 67 assists for 108 points in 74 playoff games.
The Draisaitl deal is the first of a few important signings for the Oilers. Superstar Connor McDavid is eligible to sign an extension next offseason and will likely surpass Draisaitl's contract. Stalwart defenseman Evan Bouchard will be an RFA and also will need a new deal next summer.
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