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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 remain an Oiler for his entire career.

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. “There’s a scarcity of people worldwide who can play hockey as he does. It’s impossible to fill the void that Leon’s absence would create. He forms a significant part of our team. That was the case before and it will continue in the future. From my perspective, it was never up for debate.”

Undoubtedly, we will face challenges in the future, but we’ll cross that bridge when we come to it.

Draisaitl is approaching the last season of his eight-year contract with the Oilers, which he signed on August 16, 2017. The contract, valued at $68 million, gives him an average annual income of $8.5 million. Had he not signed, he could have become an unrestricted free agent after the season, potentially earning more than his current average of $14 million annually. This could have also provided an opportunity for him to step out from under McDavid’s shadow.

The Oilers have sidestepped potential distractions this season by securing Draisaitl before training camp. The move also serves as a signal to McDavid, who still has two seasons remaining on his eight-year, $100 million contract ($12.5 million AAV) that he inked with the Oilers on July 5, 2017. The center, now 27 years old, will be eligible to negotiate another contract starting July 1.

“Bowman said, ‘We aim to be victorious, and will utilize all our resources to achieve this. Hopefully, this is the kind of commitment that will appeal to Connor.'”

The Oilers must prioritize maintaining the partnership of Draisaitl and McDavid, despite the substantial portion of the NHL salary cap this would consume.

In the NHL Draft of 2014, Draisaitl was chosen as the No. 3 pick by Edmonton, followed by McDavid as the No. 1 pick in 2015. During the 2019-20 season, Draisaitl clinched the Art Ross Trophy as the NHL scoring champion and also the Hart Trophy after being voted as the League’s most valuable player. On the other hand, McDavid has managed to secure the Art Ross five times, the Hart three times, and additionally the Rocket Richard Trophy as the NHL goal-scoring champion, and the Conn Smythe Trophy as the MVP of the Stanley Cup Playoffs.

Draisaitl, with 643 points, has been second in the NHL for points since 2018-19, trailing behind McDavid who has 726 points. In the history of NHL, Draisaitl is fourth in points per game in the playoffs (1.46), following Wayne Gretzky (1.84), Mario Lemieux (1.61), and McDavid (1.58). This ranking is among players who have played at least 74 games.

Draisaitl mentioned that he and McDavid have discussed the situation multiple times.

“Draisaitl commented, ‘Connor will make the best decision for himself, as he should. That’s just how things are and how they should be. I made my decisions based on what I believed was best for me personally. Would I like for Connor to follow suit? I’d be dishonest if I said no. I definitely want him to stay with us. I want all our team members to stick around.”

In reality, it’s virtually impossible to keep all the players under the salary cap, a fact well known to Draisaitl and McDavid. Their lack of support in previous seasons is evident, having only won one playoff series in their initial six seasons as teammates.

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

“Draisaitl expressed his understanding that it’s impossible to win with two-, three-, or four-man rosters in this league which is highly competitive. He showed relief that it’s over, allowing him to concentrate on improving his game and performing his best, especially in crucial moments,” Draisaitl stated.

Despite this, the Oilers reached the Western Conference Final in the 2021-22 season and battled it out until Game 7 of the Stanley Cup Final against the Florida Panthers in the last season. Draisaitl discussed their achievements, highlighting the team they have constructed which has not only competed for the Cup on the ice but also fostered close relationships off the ice.

“Draisaitl stated, “I have always been passionate about the Oilers. Although we haven’t achieved our objectives yet, it makes the journey more special for me. We’re all committed to working together, all striving towards the same goal. I am thrilled to be part of this team and eager to continue contributing towards our ultimate goal, which we all are aware of.”

Management will be responsible for signing McDavid and consistently finding complementary players season after season — including upcoming young players and veterans on affordable contracts.

Bowman stated, “The math remains constant, thus it’s necessary to introduce low-priced players into your team annually.”

Draisaitl will be responsible for justifying this contract. However, this is another desirable issue to deal with.

“He admitted, “Yes, there’s pressure. However, I’m going to earn a significant amount of money to cope with those moments.”