With the bulk of the heavy lifting already done in the 2024 class of unrestricted free agents, many have started looking ahead to a 2025 group that is currently star-studded. Among the headliners is Oilers center Leon Draisaitl who, despite making $8.5M per season, has been one of the better bargains in the NHL in recent years. That should soon change as the 28-year-old will undoubtedly become one of the NHL’s highest-paid players on his next contract.
How soon that next deal comes is still under question. Edmonton is currently without a GM following the departure of Ken Holland. Team president Jeff Jackson serving in the interim role and has previously indicated that he doesn’t want to take on the full-time managerial position. To that end, the search for a full-time replacement for Holland is ongoing and it makes sense for that hire to be in place before any substantive discussions get underway.
However, it appears that Draisaitl’s European-based agent feels there’s a deadline to get this done. Speaking with Eishockey News’ Michael Bauer, Jiri Poner indicated that the end of the summer might be the deadline to get a deal in place:
There’s no rush yet, but either it happens quickly, i.e. by the end of August, or it doesn’t work out at all," Poner said. "It will also become clear whether Edmonton really wants him or not. Leon holds all the trump cards."
Technically, Edmonton can negotiate with Draisaitl right up to free agency next July so this stance from Poner suggests that Draisaitl’s preference might be to set a hard line of not negotiating during the season. If that’s the case, whoever takes over as GM won’t have much time to work out an agreement to keep him in the fold.
Draisaitl has passed the 100-point mark in five of the last six seasons and over that stretch, he has the second-most points in the NHL. His teammate, Connor McDavid, is the only one ahead of him. With McDavid’s current contract coming back in 2017, his $12.5M AAV doesn’t stand as a great comparable. However, the recent $13.25M AAV that Auston Matthews received from Toronto last year could very well be in play, especially if he makes it to the open market next summer.
Can Edmonton afford to pay Draisaitl market value for 2025-26 knowing that McDavid’s deal will be up a year later and cost considerably more? That’s a question the new GM will have to answer relatively quickly given Poner’s comments regarding a possible deadline for talks. Having said that, Poner did add that he’s very confident that the two sides will be able to hammer out a deal to keep Draisaitl in an Oilers uniform for years to come.
