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The Edmonton Oilers show is underway for the upcoming season. The team came up short by the finest of margins last season and will look to make amends.
The Oilers were trailing 3-0 after the first three games of the Stanley Cup Final. Defying all odds, they took the game to Game 7 where they eventually fell short in the finals against the Florida Panthers.
On Tuesday, NHL Insider Tom Gazzola appeared on the Sportsnet Today 960 podcast to discuss the Oilers and their future.
"I think it’s natural to say that this next GM will be Jeff. While that doesn’t take away from whoever comes in as the new GM, I believe that’s where Jeff Jackson will need to be at his best. He understands that his role will be to ensure that the big dogs stay, be a good wheeler and dealer, and make sure that he keeps those players happy and here,” Gazzola said.
The "big dogs" Gazzola is talking about are Leon Draisaitl, Connor McDavid and Evan Bouchard, top performers for the Edmonton Oilers last season.
The "big dogs" current deals and future with the Edmonton Oilers
The Oilers are in a tough position with Draisaitl, McDavid and Bouchard entering either their last season or two with the franchise in the upcoming season.
Draisaitl is on year 8 of his $8.5 million/year contract. The star would be a key target to get his contract extended this year.
Connor McDavid is in the 7th year of his 8-year, $100 million contract. The forward had a phenomenal last season, with the Oilers scoring 174 points this year, including the playoff stages.
As for Evan Bouchard, the defenseman played a key part in taking the Oilers to Game 7 with three stellar performances in games 4, 5 and 6. He scored 114 points in the season. Bouchard enters the final year of his $3.9 million/ year contract. The Oilers will try to keep him longer.
