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NHL analyst speculates on how Connor McDavid's wedding could delay Leon Draisaitl's contract extension talks
Edmonton Oilers stars Connor McDavid and Leon Draisaitl are both preparing for contract extension talks after their run to the Stanley Cup Final last season. In the case of Draisaitl, he has just one more year left on his contract before becoming an unrestricted free agent at the end of the 2024-25 season.
In the case of Connor McDavid, he will then have an additional year on his contract before becoming an unrestricted free agent prior to the 2026-27 season. The way NHL analyst Bryan Hayes sees things, the pair are joined at the hip, and are likely to coordinate their extensions.
As he explained on a recent episode of TSN's Jay on SC, Connor McDavid is currently preoccupied as he prepares to marry his longtime girlfriend. Once McDavid is married, and returns from his honeymoon, Hayes believes that he and Draisaitl will sit down and have a conversation about their future with the Oilers.
"I think Draisaitl's future is linked to Connor McDavid. And why I bring McDavid's marriage up is because, obviously, he's preoccupied, but at some point, I'm sure Draisaitl and McDavid are going to have a chat and try to work this out.
"What does the future look like, right? Because I think they're mostly tied at the hip. It feels like if Draisaitl is going to be there long-term, McDavid's going to be there long-term, and vice versa."
Looking at the latest regarding Leon Draisaitl's contract extension leading up to Connor McDavid's wedding
While Bryan Hayes has suggested that Connor McDavid and Leon Draisaitl will likely sit down for a conversation about their future in Edmonton, there has already been quite a bit of activity surrounding Draisaitl's extension.
According to Draisaitl's agent Jiri Poner, who spoke with Eishockey News in Germany, the Oilers have until the start of training camp to figure out an extension. Given that Draisaitl has been playing on a team-friendly contract for the past few seasons, Poner wants his client to get what he's worth.
The way he sees things, if a deal doesn't come to fruition by the end of August, then Edmonton's stance is clear:
“There's no rush yet, but either it happens quickly, i.e., by the end of August, or it doesn't work out at all. It will also become clear whether Edmonton really wants him or not. ... Very confident that there will be an agreement with Edmonton in the end.”
On the heels of the Oilers' run to the Stanley Cup Final, led by Connor McDavid and Leon Draisaitl, his case for a massive extension will be hard to deny. Despite that, the Oilers will have to juggle paying their stars and managing their cap space.
Considering Leon Draisaitl has averaged more than a point per game over each of the past three seasons, it seems incredibly likely that he and the Oilers reach an agreement on an extension rather than letting him walk in free agency.
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