Former Oiler says Leon Draisaitl will not re-sign with Edmonton Oilers
This is a truly terrifying report for Edmonton Oilers fans. According to former Oiler Georges Laraque, he's heard from a team source that Leon Draisaitl does not want to re-sign in Edmonton.
During Laraque's radio show on BPM Sports, he explained that the Boston Bruins have been consistently emerging as a threat to sign Draisaitl, and Draisaitl himself is interested in the idea.
»Do you want me to throw a bomb at you? Someone who works around the team gave me a rumour about Leon Draisaitl. He told me that not only was Draisaitl not going to re-sign with the Oilers, but he would be going to Boston. I don't believe it, but he works around the team.»
-Georges Laraque
-Georges Laraque
This lines up with previous reports in this year from Oilers insider Jim Matheson, who also specifically reported that the Bruins will go all in to acquire Draisaitl as a free agent.
Draisaitl's contract will expire at the end of next season, which will allow the Oilers a full year window to negotiate before he's a free agent. The Oilers can offer him an eighth year on his contract and the opportunity to play with Connor McDavid, but Draisaitl is reportedly seeking a steep raise on his current salary of $8.5M. According to insiders, Draisaitl could seek up to $14M, given the salary cap's expected growth in a few years.
Simply put, the Oilers should meet any contract demands from Draisaitl, and essentially give him a blank cheque. A star player of his caliber isn't one you nickel and dime in these contract negotiations, especially when there's a team like the Bruins circling to sign him. Even while Ken Holland retires, hopefully the Oilers have the organizational stability and capacity to sign re-sign Leon Draisaitl.
| POLL | ||
Do you think Leon Draisaitl will re-sign in Edmonton? | ||
| Yes, he's a loyal Oiler | 193 | 70.7 % |
| No, he'll go somewhere else if he can | 69 | 25.3 % |
| See Results | 11 | 4 % |
| List of polls | ||
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