This in from NHL insider Frank Seravalli of the Daily Faceoff, his prediction that the Edmonton Oilers will sign up Leon Draisaitl, Connor McDavid and Evan Bouchard, paying $40 million per year for all.
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…”
Stauffer interjected: “Whoa, whoa, whoa, you’re saying the Oilers are going to get all three of those guys signed.”
Seravalli: “I believe the Oilers have already begun discussions with Draisaitl’s camp.”
Stauffer: “I will tell you this: It’s my belief that the Draisaitl camp will want the maximum. They’re not looking for the Auston Matthews four year deal here. They’re looking at a long-term deal.”
Seravalli “My point is two years from now when the Oilers take the ice, those three same guys are going to add up to $40 million bucks.
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.
