Leon Draisaitl and the Edmonton Oilers’ entrance workplace made historical past on Tuesday (Sept. 3). The Oilers signed their celebrity middle to an eight-year, $112 million contract that kicks in for the 2025-26 season. Draisaitl’s new contract carries the very best common annual worth (AAV) in league historical past at $14 million per season. Whereas Edmonton lastly put an extended dialogue with one in every of their prime gamers to mattress, can administration encompass him and Connor McDavid with the correct items to win the Stanley Cup?
Associated: Grading Oilers’ Monster Contract Extension for Leon Draisaitl
There’s minimal shock a participant of Draisaitl’s caliber earned a profitable deal at 28 years previous. That cash is predicted when a celebrity’s contract expires of their prime throughout their late 20s. Evaluating Draisaitl to a different of the league’s superstars, Nikita Kucherov, the Tampa Bay Lightning have been way more tactical when coping with their prime participant’s contract, and so they have championships to point out for it.
Draisaitl and Kucherov’s Contract Historical past
Draisaitl was about to hit the open market within the prime of his profession as a result of he signed an eight-year, $68 million deal following his entry-level contract. Within the last season of his entry-level deal, the German ahead posted 29 objectives and 48 assists for 77 factors in 82 video games (0.94 factors per sport). Edmonton wished to go long-term with their third general choose in 2014, understanding they may get him on a steal of a deal in his mid-20s.
In the meantime, Kucherov posted comparable numbers to Draisaitl and signed a three-year bridge take care of an AAV of $4.766 million per season. Earlier than signing that contract, Kucherov notched 30 objectives and 36 assists for 66 factors in 77 video games (0.86 factors per sport). Signing a bridge deal allowed the Lightning to signal Kucherov to his eventual large deal, an eight-year, $76 million contract following his MVP season with 128 factors in 2018-19.
Draisaitl and Kucherov: Evaluating the Numbers
Many individuals contemplate the Draisaitl contract a unbelievable deal. Nevertheless, Kucherov has put up barely higher numbers over the previous 5 seasons and might be paid $5.5 million lower than Draisaitl in 2025-26. Sure, Kucherov performed in a no-income-tax state and signed his deal at a special time, however that shouldn’t discredit the tactical work of the Lightning entrance workplace in contract negotiations.
Over the previous 5 seasons, Draisaitl registered 4.01 factors per 60 (P/60) in comparison with Kucherov’s 4.36 P/60. The stats are on a per 60 price because of Kucherov’s harm which stored him out for the whole 2020-21 common season. Within the playoffs, Draisaitl’s numbers are barely higher with 4.02 P/60 versus Kucherov’s 3.85 P/60. In the end, the 2 superstars are very comparable in manufacturing, whereas Kucherov has two rings to point out. One would assume their salaries can be comparatively comparable. Nevertheless, that isn’t the case.
The Age Curve Issue
The Lightning structured Kucherov’s deal completely across the age curve, the place most peak of their mid-20s and begin to decelerate of their early 30s. This technique permits the Lightning to maintain their competition window open and encompass their star gamers with high quality depth to seize championships. Alternatively, the Oilers might run into some bother down the highway with Draisaitl’s new contract.
Draisaitl’s extension doesn’t kick in till the 2025-26 season when he might be almost 30 years previous. Alternatively, Kucherov has three years remaining on his deal (together with the 2024-25 season) at 31 years previous. The Lightning ahead will want a brand new contract at 34 years previous, proper about when a participant of his caliber will begin to decline. In the meantime, Draisaitl’s new deal because the highest-paid participant within the league will take him to 37 years previous, the place his manufacturing possible received’t look comparable, making him an overpaid veteran.
In the end, Kucherov is criminally underpaid because of the market he performs in together with the mind of the Lightning’s entrance workplace to make sure his deal wouldn’t expire within the prime of his profession. Whereas the Oilers did the precise factor to lock up Draisaitl, this deal might hang-out them years from now.