Confirmed with Link: Draisaitl re-signs 8y 8.5M AAV

[McJadeddog]

Presumably there are other moves Chia wants to make and needs this contract done beforehand.

This is a fine contract for Drai. Pushing him to hold out just sours the relationship with the team. And when if it forces Drai to sign a bridge deal and 2 years from now we're looking at 10+ for the player he's become?

Good on Chia getting this done and out of the way. On to other moves now.

well, that is only true if you believe he will become a player worth 10+ million.... i don't think he will ever be worth the contract he signed, let alone 10+

drai is worth around 6.5-7 million ... when he is forced to center his own line, and gets 55-60 points, everybody will agree with me

 

[guymez]

Fair enough, I'm personally confident Draisaitl will be comfortably be worth the money.

I think it was December last year when Draisaitl has his awakening, where he realized he was good enough to impose his will on the game with effort. We'll likely see player improve from last season.

Maybe...maybe not. You dont know that to be a fact.
That uncertainty is the problem as I see it.

Now we wait and find out if the contract was a mistake or not.

 

[KCC]

Edm would have been crunched for space even if he signed for slightly less. Regardless, They will have to rely on up and coming talent and find those players the pens seem to be drafting/getting.

 

[SK13]

So when we signed a guy with less than a season to a 7 year deal at $4.167 a year, I suppose everyone thought that wasn't going to work out?

In that case, you have a first round pick who was the best Oilers defender in two shortened samples and you have a choice: Sign him long term to second pairing money and risk overpaying him by a million to potentially save 2-3M.

In the Draisaitl example, what would we potentially save here? If he scored 80 points next year, would his ask be that much bigger? What do we risk if he was heavily inflated by McDavid, falls down to like 55 points as the 2C? It's backwards. You're trying to save 500k by risking like 2M.

 

[Sniper99]

So in your opinion we should all be good little fans (not critically think at all) and just jump up and down with joy?

If that works for you then cool but some on here like to discuss events from both sides and not just put on blinders.

and a lot of you guys are in here sweating over 1 million extra that LD signed for. Its like Stauffer just said, thats the cost of doing business. Its 1 million dollars dont sweat the small stuff.

 

[rboomercat90]

We've seen an awful lot of players here who don't continue to get better after their first 2 or 3 years. In fact, basically every player we've had over this last stretch of picking high has plateaued around the age Draisaitl is now. It's far from a guarantee that he is going to get better than he is now. It's not even a guarantee he maintains his current level. There are a number of things to point to regarding Draisaitl this past season so suggest he's unlikely to be able to replicate the season he just had. Especially if he ends up centering the 2nd line like we all want.

Can you honestly say you don't see a difference when you look at a 21 year old Draisatl and a 21 year old Hall, Nuge or Eberle? In not just talking about size either. I see a player with so much more fight and determination. I don't see a guy who is satisfied with anything. I see a guy who is committed to improvement and not just happy with the status quo.

One of my favourite moments in the playoffs was seeing Draisatl sitting on the bench after the game five loss seething with anger after the rest of the guys head back to the locker room. Then the next game he goes out and gets five points in a blow out win. He's a winner. Comparing him to the guys who peaked here after two or three years is ridiculous, imo. This is a guy you want signed for 8 years. If the money he got was what it took for that to happen then you live with it. You aren't finding another player like him before McDavid's contract runs out.

 

[McAsuno]

Well, let's take that season with Hall at face value (I think Hall was better at the time, but just for arguments sake).

Draisaitl scored 50 points. 8.5M per? Even on pace for that?

Can't forget that the team where Draisaitl scored 51 points was still utter dog crap compared to how the roster looks now. And if Draisaitl hit another 50 points last season, of course 8.5M per would be asinine. But hey, he reached 77 in the regular season and 16 in the post season. The playoff performance pretty much set the bar for his contract at a higher level.

Draisaitl went from a bad rookie season (not his fault) and was labeled as a bust compared to Sam Bennett. Hit 51 points next year playing with Hall whom were an excellent duo together. And then that lead to an even better season for him as he played with Connor.

I wouldn't say he was a non factor in the playoffs until the duck series either, because like many other Oilers, he had the flu bug. When the team needed somebody to show up as Connor was getting the tough matches, Draisaitl did so. Meanwhile, players like Eberle were terrible in the regular season and playoffs alike.

 

[nabob]

I'm not upset or pretending that playing with McDavid didn't help. I was disagreeing with your comment that Draisaitl had only one good season before his extension.

His second season was fairly good. Would I use it as a bargaining chip to justify a 8 year $68M contract extension...nope. Drai got paid based on last season, just like Pastrnak will.

 

[tempest2i]

So in your opinion we should all be good little fans (not critically think at all) and just jump up and down with joy?

If that works for you then cool but some on here like to discuss events from both sides and not just put on blinders.

There's a difference between thinking critically and simply being critical.

There's obvious risk with this contract.

 

[Jejune]

well, that is only true if you believe he will become a player worth 10+ million.... i don't think he will ever be worth the contract he signed, let alone 10+

drai is worth around 6.5-7 million ... when he is forced to center his own line, and gets 55-60 points, everybody will agree with me

I don't disagree with you on this one. He likely is a 60 point player centering his own line (with somewhat talented linemates). He's not like McDavid where he'll turn a 30 point player into a 50 point player and get 80 points in the process. He needs support to be successful and we might have trouble giving him that support.

I really think these two deals mean we need to keep Nuge at all costs. We're going to need some talented wingers somewhere. I think the bigger handicapping deal is the Lucic deal. Many more years for what is likely going to be not great production.

 

[Tad Mikowsky]

well, that is only true if you believe he will become a player worth 10+ million.... i don't think he will ever be worth the contract he signed, let alone 10+

drai is worth around 6.5-7 million ... when he is forced to center his own line, and gets 55-60 points, everybody will agree with me

Kinda like how everyone was going to agree with you that McDavid isn't really that special?

 

[McJadeddog]

Chiarelli once again demonstrating he's worth **** all when it comes to negotiating the big deals.

This is a bad contract with zero comparables for Draisaitl's camp to argue he's worth this amount. Pisses me off to no end that the GM down the highway dealing with the exact same agent with a player with essentially identical stats was able to lock up their player for under 7 million.

We better hope the cap increases big time over the next couple of years. Once McDavid's deal kicks in we are going to be an absolute world of hurt.

But hey... remember when people were arguing that wasting a year of Draisaitl's ELC didn't matter because we were saving a year on his RFA eligibility? lol

couldn't agree more.... we are in serious trouble in 2018-19.... RNH is gone for sure, and likely maroon as well

 

[McAsuno]

well, that is only true if you believe he will become a player worth 10+ million.... i don't think he will ever be worth the contract he signed, let alone 10+

drai is worth around 6.5-7 million ... when he is forced to center his own line, and gets 55-60 points, everybody will agree with me

So.. what's Kuznetsov's worth to you, because his contract is right around the area of Draisaitl's. Its fairly hard to agree with the bolded, because I even remember of how extremely skeptical you were about McDavid during his rookie season letting everyone on here know.

 

[Tad Mikowsky]

So in your opinion we should all be good little fans (not critically think at all) and just jump up and down with joy?

If that works for you then cool but some on here like to discuss events from both sides and not just put on blinders.

At the end of the day, it's a million dollars more.

Which is basically a fourth line player.

 

[SK13]

Can't forget that the team where Draisaitl scored 51 points was still utter dog crap compared to how the roster looks now. And if Draisaitl hit another 50 points last season, of course 8.5M per would be asinine. But hey, he reached 77 in the regular season and 16 in the post season. The playoff performance pretty much set the bar for his contract at a higher level.

Draisaitl went from a bad rookie season (not his fault) and was labeled as a bust compared to Sam Bennett. Hit 51 points next year playing with Hall whom were an excellent duo together. And then that lead to an even better season for him as he played with Connor.

I wouldn't say he was a non factor in the playoffs until the duck series either, because like many other Oilers, he had the flu bug. When the team needed somebody to show up as Connor was getting the tough matches, Draisaitl did so. Meanwhile, players like Eberle were terrible in the regular season and playoffs alike.

I've already responded to the playoffs bit. It doesn't hold up to scrutiny. It's the ultimate small sample and even in this specific example, hits some problematic stumbling blocks (Drai got half his points in two games; was invisible for much of Sharks series and Game 7 vs the Ducks).

More concerning are the 82 games he played before that. Elite with McDavid, average 2C without.

 

[guymez]

So when we signed a guy with less than a season to a 7 year deal at $4.167 a year, I suppose everyone thought that wasn't going to work out?

Which player are you referencing here?

At this point management is thinking multiple cups. The 50 point first season and last year are pointing to a trend. Do I agree with it? I think he is going to be a top 20 player in the league for a long time. What value is that? As long as they have a good plan for the rest of the roster, should be good.

Thats your opinion and thats fine....we are still really talking about 1 elevated season. If Draisaitl had another 50 point season it would change the perspective around this completely. Thats why this really is all about this past season.
So if 1 great season was enough for you to form that opinion then thats fine too.
I am saying that for me I need more information. I need to see a player step up for a couple of seasons...I need a bigger sample size. That is especially true when you factor in that he plays with the best player on the planet. ]
That matters and matters a lot.

 

[McJesusSaves97]

well, that is only true if you believe he will become a player worth 10+ million.... i don't think he will ever be worth the contract he signed, let alone 10+

drai is worth around 6.5-7 million ... when he is forced to center his own line, and gets 55-60 points, everybody will agree with me

Why will he ever be "forced to center his own line"...maybe he always moves back & forth between 1 RW & 2 C. He may spend time every season on Connor's wing throughout his entire career

 

[Spawn]

I don't disagree with you on this one. He likely is a 60 point player centering his own line (with somewhat talented linemates). He's not like McDavid where he'll turn a 30 point player into a 50 point player and get 80 points in the process. He needs support to be successful and we might have trouble giving him that support.

I really think these two deals mean we need to keep Nuge at all costs. We're going to need some talented wingers somewhere. I think the bigger handicapping deal is the Lucic deal. Many more years for what is likely going to be not great production.

These two deals mean we can't keep Nuge at basically any cost. We are going to need some talented wingers somewhere... Nuge is going to be our 3rd line C making $6M playing behind the most expensive tandem of 2 players in the NHL. It's not going to be possible to keep him.

 

[McJadeddog]

And both McDavid and Draisaitl are only going to get better. Now that's scary.

i'd be willing to bet that drai never scores more than he did this season for the rest of your career.... i wouldn't be shocked if it happened, but i certainly don't expect it

 

[rboomercat90]

Draisaitl dominated a round of the playoffs (including a 5 point game in a blowout).

People seem to forget that the first 4 games of the San Jose series he was MIA. Hell, I remember a few people around here who wanted to bench him in that series before he started getting going.

Those first four games where it was established that he had the flu? He sure showed up when he started feeling better.

 

[guymez]

At the end of the day, it's a million dollars more.

Which is basically a fourth line player.

Its $1M for 8 years. Its $21M for 2 players for the next 8 years.
I wouldnt have minded $7.5M at all especially if the term was 6 or 5 years.

 

[Sniper99]

At the end of the day, it's a million dollars more.

Which is basically a fourth line player.

Exactly, cant agree more. Its 1 million dollars more. If it was 4-5 million more. Sure I can see why posters on here would ***** but really, get over it.

 

[SK13]

RNH is gone. There's zero way to fit him in. If Strome or Cagguila have a better-than-expected year, they're done as well. Maroon was always going to be gone.

Basically the Chicago Blackhawks summers are what we can expect. All the depth players gone for rookies on ELC. Only they won three cups, and we made it to the second round once.

Whoop-de-do.

 

[nexttothemoon]

i'd be willing to bet that drai never scores more than he did this season for the rest of your career.... i wouldn't be shocked if it happened, but i certainly don't expect it

Sure I'll avatar bet you that.

You can just add that losing bet to the last avatar bet you lost to me.

 

[Spawn]

At the end of the day, it's a million dollars more.

Which is basically a fourth line player.

You can't just eliminate a 4th line player off the roster though. That million dollars needs to come from somewhere while still icing a full roster.