Edmonton Oilers
Bowman Hints at Length of Leon Draisaitl Extension with Oilers
During his introductory press conference, Stan Bowman hinted at the ideal length of a Leon Draisaitl extension with Edmonton Oilers.
When the questions about Kyle Beach and the lessons Stan Bowman will take from his time in Chicago and two years away from the NHL, the conversation pivoted to the future of the Edmonton Oilers during the media conference on Wednesday. Bowman was asked about the pending contract negotiations for some star players, namely Leon Draisaitl, and Bowman hinted as to his plans.
“Leon’s a star player,” Bowman started. “He’s top priority for me. I want Leon to be an Oiler for life.”
Bowman talked about watching Leon play and how good a player he is and then went into the fact that both Draisaitl and McDavid can do something so few players can do, which is elevate their level of play during the playoffs. He said both players are a big part of what they are trying to do but noted that it takes a full team to win.
What Do Bowman’s Comments Tell Us About the Oilers Plans?
The first thing we can deduce here is that Edmonton is prioritizing a long-term deal for Draisaitl. If the comments that they want him to be an Oiler for life is a hint, Edmonton and Draisaitl’s camp are likely working on a long-term, eight-year extension. Bob Stauffer recently noted that “It would not surprise me if Leon were to be signed to an extension shortly.” This came out during comments when discussing the Bowman hire.
Jeff Jackson said that he and Bowman will work together to negotiate these contracts and while Bowman will take the lead, he’ll be there to support. Speculation is that this is going to fall in somewhere around the $13 million mark per season over eight seasons. The negotiating will be trying to get Leon as close to or lower than that with a focus on ensuring the franchise can add those auxiliary pieces that will keep the team competitive.
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