Blockbuster rumour suggests Leon Draisaitl might head to California!
Rumours about Edmonton Oilers' star forward Leon Draisaitl are nothing new, but this one is ruffling some feathers.
The Oilers may be moving closer to the Stanley Cup Final as they tied up their second-round series vs. the Vancouver Canucks 2-2, but chatter has it that if Edmonton fails again this year, Draisaitl could be on his way out.
The German forward was recently linked to the Boston Bruins, as he is set to become an unrestricted free agent next July, about to enter the final season of an eight-year, $68 million ($8.5M AAV) contract.
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Now, a monster rumour is sending him to California, more precisely to the San Jose Sharks, as ESPN reporter Greg Wyshynski proposed a question to Jeff Marek, asking:
Do you think [Leon] Draisaitl would go to San Jose because their owner is German?
Marek replied that there is an opportunity and that it has been SPECULATED on by the hockey industry for at least a year, maybe longer.
Wyshynski went on to list off some reasons as to why maybe Draisaitl would consider:
Emerging market, great young players. They will obviously compensate him.
It is a fact that the Sharks' owner, Hasso Plattner, is German and would probably do all he can to accommodate a compatriot.
While the positive sides of moving to San Jose for more money and becoming the face of the franchise are clear, Draisaitl would also have to start his Stanley Cup journey all over again. He would need to mentor young players and prospects like
Macklin Celebrini,
Will Smith,
William Eklund, and
Thomas Bordeleau.
At this point, there is a huge possibility that Draisaitl decides to stay in Edmonton alongside captain
Connor McDavid. It all depends on what happens with the Oilers in the coming weeks and if the club can reach an agreement on a new deal depending on how much Draisaitl is seeking from his current $8.5 million AAV.
Not sure what to make of this speculation, though fans will have a lot to talk about during the offseason, especially if the Oilers get a Bust and not a Cup.
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15 MAI | 254 ANSWERS Blockbuster rumour suggests Leon Draisaitl might head to California! Do you think the Edmonton Oilers' Leon Draisaitl will end up in San Jose? |
Yes | 58 | 22.8 % |
No | 196 | 77.2 % |
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