Edmonton Oilers Leon Draisaitl set a new bar for elite players

In the NHL, there is an arms race between all elite players as their contracts come to an end, each player would like a bigger piece of the cap percentage which has driven these salaries up. Draisaitl now has the highest cap hit in the NHL which will be $14 million AAV after this season and will put him as the highest paid NHL player after Toronto Maple Leafs captain Auston Matthews.

Draisaitl has given the Edmonton Oilers plenty of evidence that he is 1 of their best players in their franchise history as he has had multiple 100-point seasons, has been in force in the playoffs and almost helped the team win the Stanley Cup last year coming up just short in Game 7.

Many pundits across the league felt that this contract would be between $13 and $14M per season as these elite players are set to go to the next level with the rise in the salary cap after being flat for the past several years due to the COVID pandemic.

As other players including his teammate and NHL phenom Connor McDavid are set to become unrestricted free agents within the next two seasons, it will certainly mean his contract will be even higher which will cause issues for the Oilers to try to maintain a team while their superstars get the bulk of the cap percentage.

The Maple Leafs will have their own decisions to make over the next season as Mitch Marner and John Tavares will be completing their deals and will likely see a restructuring of the core going into next summer.

In the meantime, Draisaitl will get to enjoy an own the mantle as the highest paid NHL player after this coming season.

Source: Sportsnet
Cap Comparables: Oilers' Draisaitl joins exclusive club

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