Oilers coach speaks out regarding Draisaitl contract stalemate

Nearly a calendar month after superstar teammate Connor McDavid’s new contract extension was announced to the hockey world, Leon Draisaitl remains unsigned for the 2017-18 season. While it was initially reported that the Edmonton Oilers had planned on signing both of its brightest young stars on the same day so as to make a large PR splash, Draisaitl’s financial demands have throttled excitement within the team’s management group.

Now, Oilers head coach Todd McLellan is finally weighing in with his opinion on the ongoing negotiations, which have been described as being at an “impasse.”

Check it out:

"I'm confident we're going to see Leon in an [Oilers] uniform," coach Todd McLellan said in an interview with NHL.com. "We want him to be there, he wants to be there, and it's just a matter of getting a few things done over the summer."
 
A few things done? Is McLellan referring perhaps to the reported $9 million annual demands from Draisaitl’s camp? Or maybe he’s referring to a potential move to free up more money, as general manager Peter Chiarelli did earlier this offseason when he offloaded Jordan Eberle to the New York Islanders. Rumors and speculation have surrounded Ryan Nugent-Hopkins and his $6 million annual salary for awhile, could he be on the way out of town before a new Draisaitl deal is inked? Time will tell.