Top NHL insider forecasts that the Edmonton Oilers will contract Draisaitl, McDavid, and Bouchard for $40 million a year.
According to Daily Faceoff NHL source Frank Seravalli, the Edmonton Oilers will sign Leon Draisaitl, Connor McDavid, and Evan Bouchard, paying $40 million a year for each player.
Oilers insider Bob Stauffer added the Draisaitl camp is looking to sign long-term, not a shorter deal like Auston Matthews signed in Toronto.
Said Seravalli on Stauffer’s Oilers Now: “The Oilers need to make hay right now because they’ve got McDavid, Draisaitl and Bouchard only adding up to $25 million. The next iteration of this when everyone is locked up, because to me it’s when but not if…”
“Whoa, whoa, whoa, you’re saying the Oilers are going to get all three of those guys signed?” Stauffer chimed in.
“I think the Oilers have already started discussions with Draisaitl’s camp,” said Seravalli.
Stauffer: “Let me tell you something: I think the Draisaitl camp will go for maximum destruction. Here, a four-year contract with Auston Matthews is not what they’re after. They are considering a long-term agreement.
“My point is, those three guys will add up to $40 million dollars when the Oilers take the ice in two years,” said Seravalli.
Stauffer: “$16 (million), $14 and $10?”
Seravalli: “Yup. That’s my projection. And if the Oilers are sitting in their office with (hockey boss) Jeff Jackson’s big board that he has up there, I think the numbers are really close to that. The cap is also going to be $100 million then.”
Stauffer: “And you think they’re going to get all three, specifically McDavid and Draisaitl?”
Seravalli: “This is the only place on planet earth that both of them can play together. Where else are you going to go to play with Connor McDavid? He’s not going anywhere, I don’t think. They’re best friends. How many times this playoffs along has he (Draisaitl) said, ‘Connor McDavid does things no one else can do?’ ”
Stauffer asked about what Draisaitl told Seravalli on Stanley Cup media day when asked about Edmonton Oilers owner Daryl Katz.
Seravalli: “It’s a story I didn’t really get a chance to tell this Stanley Cup Final just because they are down 3-0 and the vibe has been different, but it’s not lost on me on someone who started coming here 15 years ago how different this place is. Everything this is happening downtown — there is no mosh pit, there is no fan village, there is no gleaming new arena, there is no hotel that all the visiting teams like staying in without the support that they get from Daryl Katz.”
Seravalli said the Oilers were the Green Bay Packers of the NHL. “They’re a juggernaut of league business. The Oilers are a top seven revenue generating team in the NHL. They are a bottom five market size. Do the math on what that means.”
Seravalli said the Stanley Cup tickets are indeed expensive and fans are feeling it, but said the growth and success of the franchise stems from Katz stepping up to buy the team, push the building and provide the resources during lean years.
“Leon (Draisaitl) said they have the best owner in pro sports,” Seravalli said.
According to Seravalli, the Oilers don’t overlook any details. “We’ll arrange to do something special for you on a day when the Super Bowl isn’t on.These players are equipped with everything. amenities and everything else included.
Sevalli claimed that after witnessing Katz and Draisailt celebrating a significant victory during the Oilers-Stars series, he got curious about Katz’s relationships with his players. They embraced as they stood there. And I thought, “That’s interesting,” huh. It’s not something you see very often. There is a true bond there.
