Edmonton locked up a massive piece of their future on Tuesday after the Oilers agreed to an eight-year, $112 million contract extension ($14,000,000 AAV) with Leon Draisaitl starting at the beginning of the 2025-26 season. The upcoming 2024-25 campaign will mark Draisaitl's 11th NHL season, having surpassed the 100+ point plateau in five of the last six years. He will look to build off last year's rare down(ish) campaign which saw him still pick up an impressive 41 goals and 106 points in 81 games played.
Leon Draisaitl News
After leaving Edmonton's Game 1 loss and missing the morning skate on Friday, Leon Draisaitl will be a game-time decision for Game 2 vs. Vancouver. The 28-year-old superstar has been nearly unstoppable in the playoffs so far, with five goals, 12 points 26 SOG, four PIMs and a +1 plus/minus through six games played.
Draisaitl will get the night off on Thursday as the Oilers opt to give him the night off to rest ahead of their playoff run. Connor McDavid, Ryan Nugent-Hopkins, Zach Hyman, Evander Kane, Evan Bouchard, and Mattias Ekholm will all join him in the press box tonight.
Draisaitl missed the last two games but will be back in the Oilers' lineup vs. the Kraken. Draisaitl will be back on the second line with Warren Foegele and Kailer Yamamoto on his wings. Draisaitl has recorded a point in 30 of 36 games this season, totalling 57 points (21G / 36A).
With the Oilers locked into a first round matchup vs. the Kings, they will rest Draisaitl and Connor McDavid in their regular-season finale.
Draisaitl will not be in the lineup tonight vs. the Blackhawks, but it sounds like he could be back in the Oilers lineup as soon as Saturday. His return will be huge for the struggling Oilers, so monitor his status leading up to this weekend’s meeting with the Flyers.
Draisaitl missed Saturday’s game vs. Ottawa and has already been ruled out for Tuesday’s contest. Draisaitl’s move to IR is likely retroactive to October 11th, when he first missed practice. The move shouldn’t have any affect on when he returns to the lineup.
Draisaitl missed practice on Monday and will miss his second game in a row on Tuesday. The Oilers’ star forward remains day-to-day and the Oilers will re-evaluate him before deciding whether or not he will travel with the team on their upcoming road-trip.
Draisaitl has missed three practices in a row and will be held out of the lineup with an eye injury that he suffered when he was high-sticked on Monday. With Drasaitl out, Kailer Yamamoto is expected to play on the Oilers’ top line.
Draisaitl, 20, has been recalled because the Oilers are in need of a top-6 forward. Draisaitl has scored one goal with one assist in six games with Bakersfield and many reports suggest that Draisaitl has been the Condors’ best forward this season. He is expected to make his season debut tonight on a line with Ryan Nugent-Hopkins and Taylor Hall.