Leon Draisaitl Seemingly Confirms Worrisome McDavid Rumor

Edmonton Oilers star Leon Draisaitl addressed a lingering question for fans: Did his eight-year deal hinge on Connor McDavid staying in Edmonton? Speaking on the 32 Thoughts podcast, Draisaitl didn’t deny the assumption.

“I don’t know if you’re wrong to think that,” he said when asked if his contract was tied to McDavid’s future. He elaborated on the delay in McDavid’s extension, suggesting the Oilers captain may simply be in no rush. “Maybe Connor doesn’t care about people (the outside noise)… there’s always this thought that he doesn’t want to interrupt anything, but he’s not interrupting anything,” Draisaitl noted.

---

Many analysts believed Draisaitl signed long-term under the expectation that McDavid would re-sign. However, his comments hint that the superstar’s decision may not have been a factor. That’s not ideal, if true, because it removes one of the big leverage points for the Oilers. More than a few insiders and analysts assumed that McDavid would never leave his wingman and best friend. While the assumption is that McDavid will still sign, Draisaitl seems to be suggesting that their relationship isn’t as much of a factor as some are making it out to be.

Do Draisaitl and McDavid Talk About Their Future with the Oilers?

Many also assume that these two talk a lot behind the scenes about winning the Cup in Edmonton together and that maybe Draisaitl is working on McDavid, trying to get him to extend. At least part of that isn’t accurate.

“I don’t talk to him all the time about his deal,” Draisaitl said. “I give him space, I give them their time.” He added that he’ll be very happy when the contract is finalized and expects it will happen sooner rather than later.

At the end of the day, Draisaitl said of McDavid’s process, they’re “negotiating whatever they’re negotiating.” Does that mean he’s worried his best friend will leave? It doesn’t sound like he is. Draisaitl seemed confident this would all get figured out. Is he counting on his friendship with McDavid being the thing that keeps the captain in Edmonton? Draisaitl didn’t tease that theory was baseless, but the suggestion was that it’s less of a factor than people made it out to be.

As for where McDavid is at with his decision, he offered an update on his contract negotiations and said that he doesn’t have anything new to report. He is very excited just to get camp going with his teammates.

Next: Oilers Goalie Skinner Details Off-Season Weight Change, Trade Talk Pressure