The Edmonton Oilers and new general manager Stan Bowman are actively negotiating a contract with the agent of Leon Dreysettel, hoping to lock in this superstar center for the long term. Starting from July 1st, Dreysetel is eligible to re sign.
I had a pleasant conversation with Mike Liu, the agent of Dreysettel, and we are currently in talks. The specific time will be decided jointly by us, “Bauman said at the 2024 Gretzky Herinka Cup held at Rogers Square on Monday.” Although I do not yet know the exact location and time of the negotiations, what can be confirmed is that there is currently no negative news
This 28 year old player is about to enter the final season of his eight year, $68 million (average annual value of $8.5 million) contract. This contract was signed on August 16, 2017, and Dreysetel has the right to re sign it since July 1. Bauman stated on July 24th when he was hired to replace Ken Holland as general manager that he hoped Dreysettel could “become a lifelong Oilers player”.
Bauman was well aware of the importance of Dreysettel to Edmonton’s success. The Oilers narrowly lost to the Florida Panthers in last season’s Stanley Cup final, losing their seventh game 2-1. De La Salle performed well in 81 regular season games last season, ranking seventh in the league with 106 points (41 goals, 65 assists). In the Stanley Cup playoffs, he scored 31 points (10 goals, 21 assists) in 25 games, ranking third.
Bauman stated that future success will depend on Dreysettel’s retention and the signing of captain Connor McDowell in the next offseason. McDowell’s contract still has two seasons left, and he has the right to re sign on July 1, 2025. The general manager is full of confidence in retaining these two star players.
Leon is a super genius player and an important part of our team. He has always been and will be, and that hasn’t changed at all, “Bauman said.” Finding star players in the NHL is not easy, so when you have them, the goal is to keep them. Connor is the same, they are an important reason for the team’s success so far and will be an important part of the future
Bauman’s extensive management experience has filled him with anticipation for the future of the team. He served as the general manager of the Chicago Blackhawks from 2009 to 2021, responsible for managing three Stanley Cup winning teams. He believes that by retaining core players and equipping them with a strong support team, the Oilers can also maintain long-term competitiveness like the Blackhawks.
To achieve this goal, the Oilers have started to re equip for this season. They have re signed several key players and added forwards Victor Averson and Jeff Skinner as unrestricted free agents. These measures aim to enhance the team’s strength and lay a solid foundation for future success.
They were obviously very close last season, so there’s no need to make too many big changes. It’s more about supporting the current players, “Bauman said.” Look at our other players now, Avidson and Skinner are really good additions to the team. In addition to recalling some key players from this year’s team, our future goal is to ensure that we retain players who are crucial to the team’s success
Meanwhile, Bauman also emphasized that the Oilers should not indulge in past successes. He believes that every season brings new challenges and opportunities.
I fell into this trap in Chicago, “he recalled.” Everyone thought this was this year’s team, so next year we must solve this small problem and then we will win. But many times this happens, just like in sports, what was truly successful last year may not necessarily continue next year. We need to constantly adapt and change to ensure that we can continue to succeed
Looking ahead to the future, the oil team will face new challenges and opportunities. They will welcome the arrival of the new season with a brand new attitude and strive to go further in the playoffs. Retaining the two star players, Driesette and McDavi, will be the key to achieving this goal. Whether through negotiations or other means, the Oilers will do their utmost to ensure that these two players can stay with the team for the long term and bring more exciting matches and unforgettable memories to fans. Meanwhile, fans can also look forward to wearing jerseys with labels such as “cheap jerseys”, “cheap nhl jerseys”, “cheap jerseys from China”, “nhl jerseys cheap”, etc., to cheer for their home team.