Stan BowmanPhoto credit: TSN

Newly-minted Edmonton Oilers GM Stan Bowman has ambitious plans for Leon Draisaitl according to NHL Insider Derek Van Diest.

The superstar is entire the final year of his $68 Million dollar contract with the Oilers and has seen success with Draisaitl and Connor McDavid’s tenure in the organization.

According to Van Diest, Bowman plans to make Draisaitl an Oilers for Life:

«Well, he (GM Bowman) basically said that he wants Leon Draisaitl to be an Oiler for life, and that, that’s his goal coming in here. That’s his goal for his negotiations. He wants Leon Draisaitl to stay a member of the Edmonton Oilers.» Van Diest said on Wednesday to the NHL Network.

Negotiations between Bowman and Draisaitl’s agent, Mike Liut in order to secure an extension beyond the 2024-2025 season.

“We had a great conversation and he said to me, ‘Listen, if we want to keep this window open, this championship window open for Edmonton, those two guys have to be a part of it. Those two guys have to be pillars of it.”

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Van Diest didn’t give the Oilers GM long-for signing Draisaitl, as he thinks it’ll be before the start of the regular season.

“We had a great conversation and he said to me, ‘Listen, if we want to keep this window open, this championship window open for Edmonton, those two guys have to be a part of it. Those two guys have to be pillars of it.”

Bowman was asked about Draisaitl’s contract extension at the 2024 Gretzky Hlinka Cup while at Rogers Place Arena emphaszing Draisaitl’s importance:

«Leon is a super-talented player, a huge part of what we’re doing, and he has been and will be for some time and that hasn’t changed at all,» Bowman said. «I think it’s really hard to find stars in the NHL, so when you have them, the goal is to keep them.»

Negotiations continue on and this was Bowman’s response to questions regarding the timeframe of the deal:

«I don’t have an update of where it’s (signing Leon Draisaitl)ogoing to be or the timing on that, but there is nothing negative to report, certainly.»

The Oilers are just coming off of a failed Stanley Cup run and would like to lockdown Draisaitl at another shot in 2024-2025.