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Does the Draisaitl deal help or hurt the Leafs?

August 16, 2017, 4:35 PM ET [248 Comments]
Mike Augello
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The Edmonton Oilers were able to get the other big part of their summer work done on Wednesday, as they signed center Leon Draisaitl to an eight-year, $68 Million contract extension. The 21-year-old center is coming off a career-best 77-point (28 goals, 49 assists) regular season and leading the Oilers in playoff scoring with 16 points.

Draisaitl’s $8.5 Million AAV combined with team captain Connor McDavid’s $12.5 Million annual salary equals the $21 Million annual cap hit of Jonathan Toews and Patrick Kane in Chicago.

The domino effect of the German center’s new deal will be felt immediately in Boston with RFA David Pastrnak and in Buffalo with 2015 second overall pick Jack Eichel, but also could have ramifications with the Toronto Maple Leafs next summer, when Auston Matthews, Mitch Marner and William Nylander are all eligible for new contracts.

Boston has been at loggerheads with Pastrnak after the 2014 first rounder scored 70 points and reached the 30-goal plateau for the first time.

In spite of the protestations on GM Don Sweeney and Bruins ownership that they want to get the 21-year-old locked up on a long-term deal, there may have been hopes that they could get the speedy winger signed to a bridge deal, but with Draisaitl signing an eight-year extension, it is likely that Boston will have to open up their pocketbook for Pastrnak on a seven-or-eight year deal for around what they are paying veterans Patrice Bergeron and David Krejci.

Eichel topped his 56-point rookie campaign with 24 goals and 33 assists last season and did it in spite of missing 21 games with a high-ankle sprain. There have been indications that the Sabres and Eichel’s representatives are trying to reach an agreement on a max contract extension, but that the two sides are not close on the salary figure.

Having Draisaitl sign for $8.5 Million AAV to play behind McDavid could not have been good news for Buffalo and their negotiating position with their top line center.

Wednesday’s signing should not have any impact on Toronto and a new contract for Matthews next summer or in 2019, since it is probable that the Leafs will be willing to give the Calder Trophy winner in the neighborhood of Toews, Kane and Carey Price ($10.5 Million) and possibly closer to McDavid if he builds on his 69-point output last season.

The Leafs will be in the same position with Marner next summer, entering the final year of his entry-level contract, but may play the waiting game with the 2015 first rounder, as they currently are doing with Nylander.

There have been no indications that the Leafs are in the process of negotiating a new deal with Nylander, which is an option open to them on July 1. After burning the first year of his entry-level deal by playing 22 games in 2015-16, the 21-year-old posted 61 points in his rookie season.

Nylander played right wing last season and head coach Mike Babcock indicated that he does not intend on shifting him to center this season with Matthews, Nazem Kadri and Tyler Bozak playing up the middle.

Even if Nylander is able to repeat his rookie scoring exploits, Draisaitl will not be a comparable since he primarily played center the last two seasons. Pastrnak’s new contract with Boston (reportedly in the neighborhood of $6.5 – 7 Million per season) is a more likely comparable.

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