Approaching the Leon Draisaitl Contract with Prudence Should Reassure Oilers Fans
The Gretzky-Hlinka tournament grabbed the headlines, with Canada securing yet another Gold.
But like a swan gliding calmly across water, there’s often a flurry of activity beneath the surface.
Here are 9 observations from the week…
9. Ryan Nugent-Hopkins launched his RNH Stable brand back in 2014, and much like his stellar NHL career, his success on the racetrack has continued. Recently, “Infinite Patience” won the B.C. Cup Distaff in Vancouver, bringing her career earnings to over $600K.
8. Oilers fan favorite Sam Gagner turned thirty-five on Saturday. Gagner remains hopeful to play in the 2024-25 season and has been staying active at his annual Muskoka Hockey camp. There are also whispers of Gagner taking on a role with the Oilers in player development, though nothing has been confirmed.
7. The Edmonton Oilers are set to start the 2024-25 season with an 8-game pre-season, beginning with Winnipeg in Edmonton on September 22nd. While some think this is too lengthy, each game offers a valuable opportunity for players competing for a spot, so it’s not something to be overly concerned about.
6. The fantasy section of NHL.com has made some intriguing projections for the Oilers in the 2024-25 season. They predict both Connor McDavid and Leon Draisaitl will boost their production, with McDavid at 140 points and Draisaitl at 120. Evan Bouchard is expected to have a 90-point season, while newcomers Viktor Arvidsson and Jeff Skinner are also anticipated to make significant impacts.
5. NHL.com has also released its prospect rankings, a process recently completed by The Cult of Hockey as well. NHL.com ranks the newly acquired Matthew Savoie at #1, Roby Jarventie at #2, and the freshly drafted Sam O’Reilly at #3. While there’s respect for these choices, The Cult’s rankings differ slightly.
4. Recent dressing room footage shared online via Oilers Plus highlighted why Connor McDavid didn’t return to the ice to accept the Conn Smythe trophy after Game 7. Leaders don’t leave their teammates behind in moments like that for individual accolades. If anything, McDavid would have been criticized had he done so. Case closed.
3. One off-season move by Jeff Jackson that didn’t seem to immediately improve the team was Vincent Desharnais’ departure from the right side. While the financial reasoning is understandable, it remains to be seen if the void left will be adequately filled. Desharnais’ recent comments remind us why he was so well-liked, though his performance in consecutive playoff seasons did falter.
2.This week, Oilers Defenseman Oscar Klefbom officially announced his retirement. Klefbom, who has been sidelined since the 2019-20 season due to a severe shoulder injury, was a terrific player. It’s unfortunate, as Edmonton’s trajectory could have been different had Ken Holland not needed to replace both Klefbom and Adam Larsson. Klefbom finishes his career with 34 goals and 122 assists in 378 games.
1.There’s been a lot of speculation surrounding Leon Draisaitl’s contract negotiations. As previously mentioned, this will be one of the biggest tasks for the new Edmonton Oilers General Manager, alongside Connor McDavid’s contract. What we know for certain is that talks have officially begun. Stan Bowman confirmed that he has had initial discussions with Draisaitl’s agent, Mike Liut. Bowman stated:
“I had a good conversation, and we’re getting started. The timing will be what it will be. I don’t have an update on where things stand or the timing, but there’s nothing negative to report.”
Bowman is experienced, with 12 years as an NHL General Manager, and understands that this will be a process. Despite rumors, an instant resolution wasn’t expected. This negotiation will be complex, even if it remains amicable, and will likely be approached with caution.
But this shouldn’t worry anyone. In fact, fans should be reassured that Bowman is taking a careful, thorough approach. Rushing to secure a quick win for his new team wouldn’t be wise. Instead, Bowman should focus on what’s best for the team in the long run, setting aside any personal agendas.
The best General Managers, after all, do just that.
