Draisaitl discusses contract: 'I love being an Oiler more than anything'

Leon Draisaitl is set to enter the final year of his contract before he can become an unrestricted free agent in 2025, and he's eligible to sign an extension Monday.

This will undoubtedly loom over the Edmonton Oilers until it's resolved, but Draisaitl said Wednesday that he intends to take some time to formulate a plan.

"I'm gonna give you the most boring answer here," Draisaitl said. "I'm obviously gonna sit down with my agents here and talk to the Oilers and see what their plan is, see what our plan is, and just go from there."

Draisaitl is set to receive a sizeable raise from his current $8.5-million cap hit after producing his fifth 100-point season in the last six years. His next contract could potentially make him the NHL's highest-paid player - a distinction currently held by Auston Matthews and his $13.25-million cap hit.

"Obviously I haven't had any time to really think about it, it wasn't on my mind a lot lately," said Draisaitl, who was occupied with trying to help the Oilers win the Stanley Cup. "It's just something that's gonna take a little bit of time to figure out what I want, what the Oilers want, what everyone wants."

He added: "I love being an Oiler more than anything."

Draisaitl, the 2020 Hart Trophy winner, recorded 41 goals and 65 assists in 81 games in 2023-24. Though he was limited to zero goals and three assists in the Stanley Cup Final, he still finished the postseason with 31 points in 25 games while playing through rib and hand injuries.

Edmonton drafted Draisaitl third overall in 2014. He ranks sixth on the franchise's all-time points list with 850.

The Oilers will have immediate business to take care of, though, as they have several notable pending UFAs, including Warren Foegele, Adam Henrique, Connor Brown, Mattias Janmark, Corey Perry, and Vincent Desharnais. Dylan Holloway and Philip Broberg are restricted free agents.