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The Edmonton Oilers locked up Leon Draisaitl on Tuesday, signing the 28-year-old center to an eight-year, $112 million contract that begins next season.

“Draisaitl expressed his desire to be an Oiler for life.”

Now the Oilers must do the same with Connor McDavid and surround the duo with a supporting cast strong enough to win the Stanley Cup, but those are good problems to have.

“Leon is an exceptional player,” stated General Manager Stan Bowman. “The way he plays hockey is unique and not many people in the world can match it. It would be impossible to find a replacement for what Leon contributes to our team. He is and will remain to be a crucial part of our team. For me, there was never any doubt about this.”

Undoubtedly, we will face challenges in the future, but we will address them as they come.

Draisaitl is about to begin the last season of his eight-year, $68 million contract ($8.5 million average yearly value) that he penned with the Oilers on August 16, 2017. After this season, he could have become an unrestricted free agent and pursued a deal exceeding the average annual value of $14 million that he was getting. He also had the opportunity to step out of McDavid’s shadow.

The Oilers, by securing Draisaitl before the training camp, sidestep potential distractions for this season. This move also communicates a message to McDavid, who remains with two seasons on his eight-year, $100 million contract ($12.5 million AAV) contracted with the Oilers on July 5, 2017. The center, now 27, will have the opportunity to sign a new contract come July 1.

“We are committed to winning and will utilize all our resources to achieve that. Hopefully, this is something that appeals to Connor,” said Bowman.

The Oilers need to prioritize maintaining the partnership of Draisaitl and McDavid, despite the significant chunk of the NHL salary cap this would consume.

Draisaitl was chosen as the No. 3 pick by Edmonton in the 2014 NHL Draft, followed by McDavid as the No. 1 pick in 2015. In the 2019-20 season, Draisaitl was awarded the Art Ross Trophy for being the NHL scoring champion and the Hart Trophy, having been voted the League’s most valuable player. McDavid, on the other hand, has received the Art Ross five times and the Hart three times. He has also been awarded the Rocket Richard Trophy, recognizing him as the NHL goal-scoring champion, and the Conn Smythe Trophy for being the MVP of the Stanley Cup Playoffs.

Draisaitl (643) has been the second highest scorer in the NHL since the 2018-19 season, trailing only McDavid (726). When it comes to points per game in the playoffs in NHL history, Draisaitl (1.46) is fourth, after Wayne Gretzky (1.84), Mario Lemieux (1.61), and McDavid (1.58), among players with a minimum of 74 appearances.

Draisaitl mentioned that he and McDavid have engaged in multiple discussions regarding the situation.

Draisaitl stated, “Connor will make the best decision for himself, right? That’s how things usually go and it’s expected. I made my choices based on what I believed was best for me. Would I want Connor to follow suit? I won’t deny it. I definitely want him to stay with us. I hope all our team members do the same.”

In reality, keeping all the pieces under the cap is practically unachievable, a fact all too familiar to Draisaitl and McDavid. Their experience of lacking support is evident, having only won one playoff series in their initial six seasons together.

When questioned about balancing their market value with leaving enough cap space for the Oilers to win, Draisaitl acknowledged that it’s a delicate balance for him and McDavid.

“Draisaitl stated, “We understand that winning with two-, three-, or four-man rosters is impossible in this league. The level of competition is too high. I’m glad that’s behind us now. I can concentrate on improving my game and performing at my best, particularly when it’s most critical.”

The Oilers, as mentioned, reached the Western Conference Final in 2021-22 and battled through to Game 7 of the Stanley Cup Final against the Florida Panthers in the previous season. Draisaitl discussed their achievements, highlighting a team that has not only been in contention for the Cup on the ice, but also formed close bonds off the ice.

Draisaitl expressed, “I’ve always been for the Oilers. Naturally, we haven’t accomplished our goal yet, which, to me, only makes this journey more significant. We’re all in this together, working towards the same objective. I am thrilled to be a part of this and look forward to striving for our ultimate goal, which we are all aware of.”

The responsibility of signing McDavid and consistently finding complementary players—both rising young players and veterans with inexpensive contracts—falls on management.

Bowman stated, “The math remains constant, so it’s crucial to bring in players each year who are economical for your team.”

Draisaitl will have the responsibility to fulfill the terms of this contract. However, this is indeed another pleasant problem to encounter.

“He said, ‘Yes, there’s pressure. However, I am going to be generously compensated for managing those moments.'”