Edmonton Oilers may need to make Draisaitl the highest-paid NHLer

The Edmonton Oilers have one of the best lineups in the league, with Connor McDavid, Zach Hyman, and Leon Draisaitl performing at some of the highest levels this season, and earning the team a spot in this year's Western Conference finals. However, with Draisaitl entering unrestricted free agency at the end of next season, the Oilers may have to shell out more dough than they have.

With a current cap hit of $8.5M, Draisaitl is the third-highest-paid player on the Oilers. However, if Edmonton can shell out more than $13.25M in a contract extension for this veteran center, he would earn more than Auston Matthews of the Toronto Maple Leafs, making him the highest paid in the NHL.

However, the Edmonton Oilers have less than $500,000 in cap space, making this a very hard sell for the team. With an expected value of $4M more than his current cap hit, many have shared that Draisaitl could be headed elsewhere. Though many initially believed he would head to Boston, the idea of him joining the San Jose Sharks has gained more footing. With some of the most available cap space in the NHL and a certain future with expected-first overall draft pick Macklin Celebrini, this could be an easy decision for this star player.

The Oilers are in the Western Conference Finals against the Dallas Stars, with both teams hoping to gain the series lead. With Edmonton having a clear chance at the cup, tonight could prove crucial in the decisions leading up to Leon Driasiatl's next contract. Yet, with one more year under his current agreement, it may still be a while before any updates on his next step are made.