Leon Draisaitl signed a massive, record-breaking contract with the Oilers
Photo credit: USA Today
The wait is over, as Leon Draisaitl has agreed to a contract extension with the Edmonton Oilers that will make him the highest paid in the NHL.
According to hockey insider Elliotte Friedman, the Edmonton Oilers have locked up Leon Draisaitl with an eye-popping eight-year contract worth around $14 million per year, making it the highest annual salary ever in NHL history.
This big contract was partly facilitated by freeing up cap space after the departures of Philip Broberg and Dylan Holloway to the St. Louis Blues following successful offer sheets.
The extension represents a pivotal move for the Oilers, who still have vital negotiations yet to come. They'll need to re-sign franchise defenseman Evan Bouchard this season and prepare for the contract renewal of Connor McDavid in the 2025-26 season.
It will give Leon Draisaitl the largest annual average value in the league, surpassing Auston Matthews' four-year deal with a $13.25 million AAV and Nathan MacKinnon's eight-year deal with the Colorado Avalanche that came in at $100.8 million ($12.6 million AAV). Of course, his record won't last all that long as his teammate Connor McDavid is expected to sign a larger one next season.
The Edmonton Oilers are all-in on their star players, but we'll see if these moves yield a Stanley Cup victory.
| POLL | ||
3 SEPTEMBRE | 82 ANSWERS Leon Draisaitl signed a massive, record-breaking contract with the Oilers Did Leon Draisaitl get paid what he's worth? | ||
| Yes | 40 | 48.8 % |
| No, too much! | 37 | 45.1 % |
| No, not enough! | 5 | 6.1 % |
| List of polls | ||
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